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VINAYA FOR THE LAITY
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in the likeness of a friend: for, he both consents to do wrong, and dissents from doing right ; he praises to your face ; he speaks ill of you to others.
“So also the fellow-waster companion is to be reckoned as a foe in the likeness of a friend ; for, he is your companion when you frequent the streets at untimely hours, he is your companion when you haunt shows and fairs, he is your-companion when you are infatuated with gambling.
“Four are the friends who should be reckoned as sound at heart: the helper ; the friend who is the same in happiness and adversity ; the friend of good counsel ; the friend who sympathises.
“The friend who is a helper is to be reckoned as sound at heart : because, he guards you when you are off your guard, he guards your property when you are off your guard, he is a refuge to you when you are afraid, when you have tasks to perform he provides a double supply of what you may need.
“The friend who is the same in happiness and adversity is to be reckoned as sound of heart: because, he tells you his secrets, he keeps secret your secrets, in your troubles he does not foresake you, he lays down even his life for your sake.
“The friend who declares what you need to do is sound of heart; because, he restrains you from doing wrong, he enjoins you to do what is right, he informs you of what you had not heard before, he reveals to you the way of heaven.
“The friend who sympathises is to be reckoned as sound at heart; because, he does not rejoice over your misfortunes, he rejoices over your prosperity, he restrains anyone who is speaking ill of you, he commends anyone who is praising you.” Thus speaks the Exalted One.
“Instead of teaching him to worship the six quarters, a religion which is a religion of man must teach him to respect and revere his parents, his teachers, his wife and children, his friends and companions, his servants and workmen and his religious teachers.”
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