71
“Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to skillful qualities, or makes unskillful qualities decline like good friends. When you have good friends, skillful qualities arise and unskillful qualities decline.”
The Chapter on Good Friends
AN 1.71-81 · 8. Kalyāṇamittādivagga
Sections
72
“Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to unskillful qualities, or makes skillful qualities decline like pursuing bad habits and not good habits. When you pursue bad habits and not good habits, unskillful qualities arise and skillful qualities decline.”
73
“Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to skillful qualities, or makes unskillful qualities decline like pursuing good habits and not bad habits. When you pursue good habits and not bad habits, skillful qualities arise and unskillful qualities decline.”
74
“Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that prevents the awakening factors from arising, or, if they’ve already arisen, prevents them from being fully developed like irrational application of mind. When you apply the mind irrationally, the awakening factors don’t arise, or, if they’ve already arisen, they’re not fully developed.”
75
“Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to the awakening factors, or, if they’ve already arisen, fully develops them like rational application of mind. When you apply the mind rationally, the awakening factors arise, or, if they’ve already arisen, they’re fully developed.”
76
“Loss of relatives, mendicants, is a small thing. Wisdom is the worst thing to lose.”
77
“Growth of relatives, mendicants, is a small thing. Wisdom is the best thing to grow.
So you should train like this: ‘We will grow in wisdom.’ That’s how you should train.”
78
“Loss of wealth, mendicants, is a small thing. Wisdom is the worst thing to lose.”
79
“Growth of wealth, mendicants, is a small thing. Wisdom is the best thing to grow.
So you should train like this: ‘We will grow in wisdom.’ That’s how you should train.”
80
“Loss of fame, mendicants, is a small thing. Wisdom is the worst thing to lose.”
81
“Growth of fame, mendicants, is a small thing. Wisdom is the best thing to grow.
So you should train like this: ‘We will grow in wisdom.’ That’s how you should train.”
Connections
Collection & context
- Aṅguttara NikāyaThe collection containing this text
- The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
- Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
- The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting
Books
- The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Aṅguttara NikāyaBhikkhu Bodhi; Bhikkhu Bodhi (translator) · Complete collection edition
About this edition
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0
This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.
Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader. This source combines a range of related numbered discourses.
The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.