When Sāriputta says that good friendship is the whole of the spiritual life, the Buddha agrees, explaining that good friendship is the basis for the development of the Noble Eightfold Path.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then, Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Sāriputta said to the Blessed One:
“sakalamidaṁ, bhante, brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā”ti.
“Venerable Sir, the whole of this spiritual life is this — good friendship, good companionship, good association.”
“Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta. Sakalamidaṁ, sāriputta, brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā. Kalyāṇamittassetaṁ, sāriputta, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṁ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa—ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvessati, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkarissati. Kathañca, sāriputta, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāveti, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroti?
“Excellent, excellent, Sāriputta. The whole of this spiritual life is this — good friendship, good companionship, good association. It can be expected, Sāriputta, that a bhikkhu with good friends, companions, and associates will cultivate and frequently practice the Noble Eightfold Path. And how, Sāriputta, does a bhikkhu with good friends, companions, and associates cultivate and frequently practice the Noble Eightfold Path?
Idha, sāriputta, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ; sammāsaṅkappaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ …pe… sammāvācaṁ bhāveti …pe… sammākammantaṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāājīvaṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāvāyāmaṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāsatiṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. Evaṁ kho, sāriputta, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāveti, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroti.
Here, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu develops right view |dependent on seclusion::supported by detachment, by means of disengagement [vivekanissita]|, |supported by dispassion::based on fading of desire [virāganissita]|, |supported by cessation::based on ending [nirodhanissita]|, |culminating in complete relinquishment::ripening in release, culminating in letting go [vossaggapariṇāmī]|; similarly he develops right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness, dependent on seclusion, supported by dispassion, supported by cessation, culminating in complete relinquishment. Thus indeed, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu with good friends, companions, and associates develops and cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path extensively.
Tadamināpetaṁ, sāriputta, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sakalamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā. Mamañhi, sāriputta, kalyāṇamittaṁ āgamma jātidhammā sattā jātiyā parimuccanti; jarādhammā sattā jarāya parimuccanti; maraṇadhammā sattā maraṇena parimuccanti; sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā sattā sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimuccanti. Iminā kho etaṁ, sāriputta, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sakalamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā”ti.
By the following method too, Sāriputta, it may be understood how the entire spiritual life is good friendship, good companionship, good association: by relying on me as a good friend, Sāriputta, beings who are subject to birth are freed from birth; beings who are subject to aging are freed from aging; beings who are subject to death are freed from death; beings who are subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair are freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair. It is by this method, Sāriputta, that it may be understood how the entire spiritual life is good friendship, good companionship, good association.”
At Sāvatthi.
Then, Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Sāriputta said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable Sir, the whole of this spiritual life is this — good friendship, good companionship, good association.”
“Excellent, excellent, Sāriputta. The whole of this spiritual life is this — good friendship, good companionship, good association. It can be expected, Sāriputta, that a bhikkhu with good friends, companions, and associates will cultivate and frequently practice the Noble Eightfold Path. And how, Sāriputta, does a bhikkhu with good friends, companions, and associates cultivate and frequently practice the Noble Eightfold Path?
Here, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu develops right view |dependent on seclusion::supported by detachment, by means of disengagement [vivekanissita]|, |supported by dispassion::based on fading of desire [virāganissita]|, |supported by cessation::based on ending [nirodhanissita]|, |culminating in complete relinquishment::ripening in release, culminating in letting go [vossaggapariṇāmī]|; similarly he develops right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness, dependent on seclusion, supported by dispassion, supported by cessation, culminating in complete relinquishment. Thus indeed, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu with good friends, companions, and associates develops and cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path extensively.
By the following method too, Sāriputta, it may be understood how the entire spiritual life is good friendship, good companionship, good association: by relying on me as a good friend, Sāriputta, beings who are subject to birth are freed from birth; beings who are subject to aging are freed from aging; beings who are subject to death are freed from death; beings who are subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair are freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair. It is by this method, Sāriputta, that it may be understood how the entire spiritual life is good friendship, good companionship, good association.”
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“sakalamidaṁ, bhante, brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā”ti.
“Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta. Sakalamidaṁ, sāriputta, brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā. Kalyāṇamittassetaṁ, sāriputta, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṁ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa—ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvessati, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkarissati. Kathañca, sāriputta, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāveti, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroti?
Idha, sāriputta, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ; sammāsaṅkappaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ …pe… sammāvācaṁ bhāveti …pe… sammākammantaṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāājīvaṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāvāyāmaṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāsatiṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. Evaṁ kho, sāriputta, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāveti, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroti.
Tadamināpetaṁ, sāriputta, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sakalamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā. Mamañhi, sāriputta, kalyāṇamittaṁ āgamma jātidhammā sattā jātiyā parimuccanti; jarādhammā sattā jarāya parimuccanti; maraṇadhammā sattā maraṇena parimuccanti; sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā sattā sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimuccanti. Iminā kho etaṁ, sāriputta, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sakalamidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā”ti.