Aṇguttara Nikāya
Chakka Nipāta
VII. Devatā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Sixes
Chapter VII: The Devas
Sutta 67
Mitta Suttaṃ
Friends
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied,
and the Exalted One said:
'Verily, monks, that a monk who is an evil friend,
an evil comrade,
an evil companion,
serving,
attending,
honouring evil friends,
emulating their ways of thought,
shall fulfil the Dhamma-fore-course[1] -
that cannot be;
and that without fulfilling the course,
he shall fulfil the Dhamma-training -
that cannot be;
and that without fulfilling the training,
he shall fulfil the virtues -
that cannot be;
and that without fulfilling the virtues,
he shall give up lustful passion,
passion for the material
or for the immaterial -
that cannot be.
§
But that a monk who is good friend,
comrade,
companion,
serving,
attending,
honouring good friends,
emulating their ways of thought,
shall fulfil the Dhamma-fore-course -
that surely shall be;
and that on the fulfilment of the fore-course,
he shall fulfil the taaining -
that surely shall be;
and that on the fulfilment of the training,
he shall fulfil the virtues[2] -
[298] that surely shall be;
and that on the fulfilment of the virtues,
he shall give up lustful passion,
passion for form
and for the formless -
that surely shall be.'
[1] Abhi-sam-ācār-ika dhamma; see above V, § 21.
[2] It seems a jumble here, that sīlāni should not have come first, since they must be presupposed in the foregoing. Unless the four brahma-vihāras are meant by sīlāni. Possibly a corrupt recension.
