Aṅguttara Nikāya
Chakka Nipāta
VII. Devatā Vagga

The Book of the Sixes

Chapter VII: The Devas

Sutta 67

Mitta Suttaṃ

Friends

[297]

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-course¹ -
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 training -
that surely shall be;

and that on the fulfilment of the training,
he shall fulfil the virtues² -
[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.