A Spiritual Friend (EA20.1)

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, at Jetṛ’s Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. The the Exalted One said to the monks:

“One should keep close company with a spiritual friend lest one should fall into the habit of doing evil and be convinced of the harmlessness of evil action. Thus, O monks, by keeping close with a spiritual friend one is fully convinced of one’s progress and growth in regard to the following: considerable growth in learning, generosity, insight-knowledge and wisdom. If a monk keeps close company with a spiritual friend, he will not fall into the habit of doing evil. But if he keeps company with a bad friend, he will lose trust, be wanting in moral training, in learning, insight-knowledge and wisdom. For this reason, O monks, you should keep close company with a spiritual friend and not a bad friend. Thus, O monks, you should train.”

After listening to the Buddha’s words, the monks were pleased and respectfully applied themselves to practice.

Translated from Sanskrit to Chinese by Dharmanandi.

Originally published as Ekottarikāgama XXV, Buddhist Studies Review 16.1, 1999, pp. 71–79. Translated from the Chinese version by Thích Huyên-Vi in collaboration with Sara Boin-Webb and Bhikkhu Pāsādika. Used with kind permission of the Buddhist Studies Review and Bhikkhu Pāsādika.

Transcription by Nola Webb, 2014.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.