I have heard that at one time, the Blessed One was living among the Sakyans. Now there is a Sakyan town named Sakkara. There, Venerable Ananda went to the Blessed One and when he arrived, after bowing down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. Then he said to the Blessed One, “This is half of the holy life, venerable sir: having wise and good friends, wise and good companions; associating with the wise and the good.”
“Don’t say that, Ananda, don’t say that. Having wise and good friends, wise and good companions; associating with the wise and the good, is in reality the whole of the holy life. When a monk has association with those who are wise and good, when he has wise and good people as friends and companions, he can be expected to work on and follow the noble eightfold path.
And how is it that a monk who has wise and good people as friends and companions, works on and develops the eightfold path?
In regard to this, a monk develops the right view, which supports and leads towards renunciation, un-attachment and ending (of defilements), and which results in letting go of all attachment.
He develops right intention, which supports and leads towards renunciation, un-attachment and ending of defilements, and which results in letting go of all attachment.
He develops right speech, which supports and leads towards renunciation, un-attachment and ending of defilements, and which results in letting go of all attachment.
He develops right action, which supports and leads towards renunciation, un-attachment and ending of defilements, and which results in letting go of all attachment.
He develops right livelihood, which supports and leads towards renunciation, un-attachment and ending of defilements, and which results in letting go of all attachment.
He develops right effort, which supports and leads towards renunciation, un-attachment and ending of defilements, and which results in letting go of all attachment.
He develops right sati, which supports and leads towards renunciation, un-attachment and ending of defilements, and which results in letting go of all attachment.
He develops right concentration, which supports and leads towards renunciation, un-attachment and ending of defilements, and which results in letting go of all attachment.
This is how the noble eightfold path is developed by a monk who has wise and good friends.
And by reasoning in this way one may know how it is that having wise and good friends, wise and good companions, associating with the wise and the good, is in reality the whole of the holy life: it is only through having a wise and good friend in me that beings subject to birth have gained freedom from birth; that beings subject to ageing have gained freedom from ageing, that beings subject to death have gained freedom from death; that beings subject to sadness, crying, pain, suffering and despair, have gained freedom from sadness, freedom from crying, freedom from all suffering and pain.
It is through reasoning in this way that one may know how it is that having wise and good friends, wise and good companions, associating with the wise and the good, is in reality the whole of the holy life.