The Buddha teaches on friends, presenting a sixfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 6.67 Friends

“‘So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pāpamitto pāpasahāyo pāpasampavaṅko, pāpamitte sevamāno bhajamāno payirupāsamāno, tesañca diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjamāno ābhisamācārikaṁ dhammaṁ paripūressatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. ‘Ābhisamācārikaṁ dhammaṁ aparipūretvā sekhaṁ dhammaṁ paripūressatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. ‘Sekhaṁ dhammaṁ aparipūretvā sīlāni paripūressatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. ‘Sīlāni aparipūretvā kāmarāgaṁ rūparāgaṁ arūparāgaṁ pajahissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

‘So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko, kalyāṇamitte sevamāno bhajamāno payirupāsamāno, tesañca diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjamāno ābhisamācārikaṁ dhammaṁ paripūressatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati. ‘Ābhisamācārikaṁ dhammaṁ paripūretvā sekhaṁ dhammaṁ paripūressatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati. ‘Sekhaṁ dhammaṁ paripūretvā sīlāni paripūressatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati. ‘Sīlāni paripūretvā kāmarāgaṁ rūparāgaṁ arūparāgaṁ pajahissatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“‘So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pāpamitto pāpasahāyo pāpasampavaṅko, pāpamitte sevamāno bhajamāno payirupāsamāno, tesañca diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjamāno ābhisamācārikaṁ dhammaṁ paripūressatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

“Mendicants, it is quite impossible that a mendicant with bad friends, companions, and associates, while frequenting, accompanying, and attending, and following their example, will fulfill the practice dealing with the supplementary regulations.

‘Ābhisamācārikaṁ dhammaṁ aparipūretvā sekhaṁ dhammaṁ paripūressatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

Without fulfilling the practice dealing with supplementary regulations, it’s impossible to fulfill the practice of a trainee.

‘Sekhaṁ dhammaṁ aparipūretvā sīlāni paripūressatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

Without fulfilling the practice of a trainee, it’s impossible to fulfill ethics.

‘Sīlāni aparipūretvā kāmarāgaṁ rūparāgaṁ arūparāgaṁ pajahissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

Without fulfilling ethics, it’s impossible to give up sensual desire, or desire to be reborn in the realm of luminous form or in the formless realm.

‘So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko, kalyāṇamitte sevamāno bhajamāno payirupāsamāno, tesañca diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjamāno ābhisamācārikaṁ dhammaṁ paripūressatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

It’s quite possible that a mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates, while frequenting, accompanying, and attending, and following their example, will fulfill the practice dealing with the supplementary regulations.

‘Ābhisamācārikaṁ dhammaṁ paripūretvā sekhaṁ dhammaṁ paripūressatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

Having fulfilled the practice dealing with supplementary regulations, it’s possible to fulfill the practice of a trainee.

‘Sekhaṁ dhammaṁ paripūretvā sīlāni paripūressatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

Having fulfilled the practice of a trainee, it’s possible to fulfill ethics.

‘Sīlāni paripūretvā kāmarāgaṁ rūparāgaṁ arūparāgaṁ pajahissatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī”ti.

Having fulfilled ethics, it’s possible to give up sensual desire, and desire to be reborn in the realm of luminous form and in the formless realm.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
View all discourses →
Formless

Formless

A meditative domain that transcends all perception of material form, progressing through the bases of infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither-perception-nor-non-perception. These states represent refined levels of collectedness beyond attachment to physical phenomena.

Also known as: immaterial, surpassing forms
Pāli: arūpa
View all discourses →
Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
View all discourses →
Quenching

Quenching

An experiential state of being “cooled,” where the burning fever of craving has subsided and the mind dwells in a peace free from the anxiety of needing to become something else.

Also known as: being cooled, desirelessness, free from hope, fulfilled, fully satiated, having attained emancipation
Pāli: nibbuta, nirāsa, parinibbāyati
View all discourses →
Sensual desire

Sensual desire

A mental quality of desiring sensory gratification. It pulls the mind’s attention toward sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touches in a search for satisfaction.

Also known as: craving for sensuality, passion for sensual pleasures, lust, pull toward enticing sense objects
Pāli: kāmacchanda
View all discourses →
Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026