Once, in the Sakyan country, Venerable Ananda
said to the Buddha, ‘Venerable Sir, good friendship is half of the holy life.’
‘Not so, Ananda!’ the Buddha replied. ‘Good friendship is the entire holy life. When
one has a good friend, it is to be expected that he will develop and cultivate
the Noble Eightfold Path – Right view, Right intention, Right speech,
Right action, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness, and right
concentration – each stage is based upon seclusion, dispassion and cessation,
maturing in release.
By relying upon me as a good friend, Ananda,
beings are freed from birth, from aging, from illness, from death, and from
sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure and despair. Thus, Ananda, it may
be understood how the entire holy life is good friendship.
Therefore, you should train yourself thus: “I
will be one who has good friends.” When you have good friends, you should
dwell with one thing for support: diligence in wholesome states not yet arisen,
abandoning unwholesome states already arisen, developing wholesome states, and
maintaining wholesome states. When you are thus dwelling diligently, those
around you will think, “Let us also dwell diligently, with diligence for support.”
In this way, you will be guarded and protected.’
– Samyutta Nikaya 3,18
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