1 Thus was heard by me. At one time the Auspicious One was living among the Sakkians, at a Sakyan market town named Nagaraka. Then, the venerable Ananda visited with the Auspicious One. Upon arrival, he bowed down to the Auspicious One and sat down to one side. Having sat down to one side, the venerable Ananda said this to the Auspicious One: “This, O Bhante, is half of the life of purity, that is, noble friendship, noble companionship, noble comradship.” When thus was said, the Auspicious One said this to the venerable Ananda: “Indeed not so, O Ananda, indeed not so, O Ananda. Indeed, O Ananda, this is solely the whole of the life of purity, that is, noble friendship, noble companionship, noble comradship.” This, O Ananda, is to be expected of a bhikkhu of noble friend, of noble companion, of noble comrad, that he will enculturate the noble eight-fold path, that he will make abundant the noble eight-fold path.”

2 And how, O Ananda, does a bhikkhu of noble friend, of noble companion, of noble comrad, enculturates the noble eight-fold path, makes abundant the noble eight-fold path ? Here, O Ananda, a bhikkku enculturates right view, in dependence on seclusion, in dependence on fading away, in dependence on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. He enculturates right thought, in dependence on seclusion, in dependence on fading away, in dependence on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. He enculturates right speech, in dependence on seclusion, in dependence on fading away, in dependence on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. He enculturates right action, in dependence on seclusion, in dependence on fading away, in dependence on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. He enculturates right livelihood, in dependence on seclusion, in dependence on fading away, in dependence on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. He enculturates right effort, in dependence on seclusion, in dependence on fading away, in dependence on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. He enculturates right mindfulness, in dependence on seclusion, in dependence on fading away, in dependence on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. He enculturates right samadhi, in dependence on seclusion, in dependence on fading away, in dependence on cessation, maturing in relinquishment. It is thus, O Ananda, that a bhikkhu of noble friend, of noble companion, of noble comrad, enculturates the noble eight-fold path, makes abundant the noble eight-fold path.

3 “By this method, O Ananda, it could be understood: how this is solely the whole of the life of purity, that is, noble friendship, noble companionship, noble comradship.”“Because of me, O Ananda, owing to [me as] a noble friend, beings liable to birth are freed from birth. Beings liable to old age are freed from old age. Beings liable to sickness are freed from sickness. Beings liable to death are freed from death. Beings liable to sorrow, lamentation, physical suffering, mental suffering and despair are freed from sorrow, lamentation, physical suffering, mental suffering and despair. By this method, O Ananda, it could be understood: how this is solely the whole of the life of purity, that is, noble friendship, noble companionship, noble comradship.”

1 evaṃ me sutaṃ, ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sakkesu viharati, nāgarakaṃ nāma sakyānaṃ nigamo. atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi. ekamantaṃ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṃ etadavoca: upaḍḍhamidaṃ bhanate, brahmacariyassa yadidaṃ kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatāti. mā hevaṃ ānanda, mā hevaṃ ānanda, sakalameva hidaṃ ānanda, brahmacariyaṃ yadidaṃ kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā. kalyāṇamittassetaṃ ānanda, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṃ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāvessati ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulīkarissati. pts page 002

2 kathañcānanda, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāveti, ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulīkaroti: idhānanda, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ vossaggapariṇāmiṃ sammāsaṅkappaṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ vossaggapariṇāmiṃ, sammāvācaṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ vossaggapariṇāmiṃ, sammākammantaṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ vossaggapariṇāmiṃ, sammāājīvaṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ vossaggapariṇāmiṃ, sammāvāyāmaṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ vossaggapariṇāmiṃ. sammāsatiṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ vossaggapariṇāmiṃ, sammāsamādhiṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ vossaggapariṇāmiṃ, evaṃ kho ānanda, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampaṅko ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāveti ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulītaroti. bjt page 004

3 tadamināpetaṃ ānanda, pariyāyena veditabbaṃ: yathā sakalameva hidaṃ brahmacariyaṃ yadidaṃ kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā ti. mamaṃ hi ānanda, kalyāṇamittaṃ āgamma jātidhammā sattā jātiyā parimuccanti, jarādhammā sattā jarāya parimuccanti, maraṇadhammā sattā maraṇena parivuccanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā sattā sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupayāsehi parimuccanti. iminā kho etaṃ ānanda, pariyāyena veditabbaṃ. yathā:sakalamevahidaṃ brahmacariyaṃ yadidaṃ kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatāti. bjt page 006