Buddhist Perspective on the Development of Social Welfare
by Ashin Indacara | 2011 | 61,386 words
This page relates 鈥楽even Qualifications of Good Friend鈥� of the study on the Buddhist perspective on the development of Social Welfare, employing primarily the concepts of Utthana-sampada (persistent effort) and Arakkha-sampada (watchfulness). Based on the teachings of the Buddha in the Dighajanu Sutta and other canonical texts, this essay emphasizes the importance of effort, knowledge, and good karma in achieving social welfare.
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6. Seven Qualifications of Good Friend
The Buddha expounded the seven qualifications of a good friend in 笔补峁环补尘补尘颈迟迟补 Sutta of 础峁単耻迟迟补谤补 狈颈办腻测补. These are more qualifications of him. They are depicted as follows:鈥�
鈥�Sattahi, bhikkhave, a峁単ehi samann膩gato mitto sevitabbo. Katamehi sattahi? 顿耻诲诲补蝉补峁� 诲补诲腻迟颈, 诲耻办办补谤补峁� karoti, dukkhama峁� khamati, guyhamassa 膩vikaroti, guyhamass pariguhati, 膩pad膩su na jahati, kh墨nena n膩tima帽帽ati.鈥�
The 笔腻岣穒 prose means that 鈥淢onks, let a monk cultivate a friend whose ways are seven. What seven? He gives what is hard to give, does what is hard to do, bear what is hard to bear, confesses his own secret, keeps others, in want forsakes one not, despises not when one is ruined.鈥�[1]
According to the demonstrations of the Buddha, we get to know about further good qualifications of a friend. They can be expressed one after another in numbers as follows:-
(1) Being able to give what is hard to give,
(2) Being able to do what is hard to do,
(3) Being able to bear what is hard to bear,
(4) Being able to confess his own secret,
(5) Being able to keep his friend鈥檚 secret,
(6) Never forsake his friend in times of want,
(7) Never despise or condemn his friend when his friend is ruined.
In the world that no one can be isolated or live alone in the society, everyone should get to know about good qualifications of friends. If he knows such them, he can choose and associate with good friends who have these qualities. Only friends of these qualifications can support him to develop his welfare.
Sometimes people require the help of their friends in a crisis. At that time, some of them can get the help of their friends and some cannot. Although some people want to help their friends in need, they do not have mental and material qualifications. There is no reason to blame or condemn friends of this kind. Some people, however, have mental and material qualifications but they do not want to help their friend. These kind of friends should be blamed or condemned and they are not worthy of good friend. So the Lord Buddha refers to those human beings who do not want to help others although they have mental and material qualifications. Thus the demonstrations of Buddha are in conformity with the English proverb 鈥淎 friend in need is a friend in deed.鈥�
As regard to 碍补濒测腻苍补尘颈迟迟补, the friendship between Venerable 厂腻谤颈辫耻迟迟补 and Venerable 惭辞驳驳补濒腻苍补 should be described as revealed the attitude of good friends with reference to 厂腻谤颈辫耻迟迟补moggal膩na Theravatthu[2] (the chronicle of Ven. 厂腻谤颈辫耻迟迟补 & 惭辞驳驳补濒腻苍补) the commentary of 础峁単耻迟迟补谤补 狈颈办腻测补.
Venerable 厂腻谤颈辫耻迟迟补 and Venerable 惭辞驳驳补濒腻苍补 were very friendly and acquainted friends. Before they attained Arahat-hood, Ven. 厂腻谤颈辫耻迟迟补 was called Upatissa and Ven. 惭辞驳驳补濒腻苍补 was called Kolita. They were from Upatiss village and Kolita village respectively with reference to the name of their village. Before they became the chief disciples of the Buddha, they were wandering ascetics under the guidance of the great wandering ascetic, 厂补帽肠补测补. At that time, they did not realize the Four Noble Truths (Ariyasacca) and they were worldly or secular persons. After that, they departed from each other making a formal promise to seek the Noble Truths. The promise is that one who sought the Noble Truths must inform another one. After listening to the discourse from Ven. Assaji, the youngest Arahat and one of the monks in the first group of five, Ven. Sariputta attained the first stage of stream-winner (厂辞迟腻辫补苍苍补). Afterwards, they got the news that the Siddhattha Gotama attained Buddha-hood through Ven. Assaji. And then, they went to the Buddha. After listening to the discourses of the Buddha, they attained Arahat-hood and became the chief disciples of the Buddha.
Before going to the Buddha, they inform their great teacher, 厂补帽肠补测补 and they called him to go to the Buddha together with them. But their great teacher did not follow them. The story of the two chief disciples is widely stated by the commentator. This is the story in brief. To get to the point, the attitude of good friends can be seen in the story of two disciples. The attitude of good friends is that one wishes the well-being or welfare of another. A good friend never abandons his friend in any situation. Not only that, they wanted to share their experience to their great teacher, 厂颈帽肠补测补, who did not realize the Four Noble Truths. In addition that, a good friend does not secret and hide something that he gets. Thus, good friendship of Ven. 厂腻谤颈辫耻迟迟补 and Ven. 惭辞驳驳补濒腻苍补 is ideal for the relationship in the society.