Skip to content
True DhammaLibrary · Community
AN 5.146PTS AN 3.171Mitta1 min read

A Friend

Mittasutta

Don’t befriend a mendicant with five qualities; look instead for the five opposites.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.146Numbered Discourses 5.146
  • 0.215. Tikaṇḍakīvagga15. At Tikaṇḍakī

0.3MittasuttaA Friend

1.1“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu mitto na sevitabbo.“Mendicants, you shouldn’t associate with a mendicant friend who has five qualities.1.2Katamehi pañcahi?What five?1.3Kammantaṁ kāreti, adhikaraṇaṁ ādiyati, pāmokkhesu bhikkhūsu paṭiviruddho hoti, dīghacārikaṁ anavatthacārikaṁ anuyutto viharati, nappaṭibalo hoti kālena kālaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetuṁ samādapetuṁ samuttejetuṁ sampahaṁsetuṁ.They start up work projects. They take up disciplinary issues. They conflict with leading mendicants. They like long and aimless wandering. They’re unable to educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire you from time to time with a Dhamma talk.1.4Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu mitto na sevitabbo.Mendicants, you shouldn’t associate with a mendicant friend who possesses these five qualities.

2.1Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu mitto sevitabbo.You should associate with a mendicant friend who has five qualities.2.2Katamehi pañcahi?What five?2.3Na kammantaṁ kāreti, na adhikaraṇaṁ ādiyati, na pāmokkhesu bhikkhūsu paṭiviruddho hoti, na dīghacārikaṁ anavatthacārikaṁ anuyutto viharati, paṭibalo hoti kālena kālaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetuṁ samādapetuṁ samuttejetuṁ sampahaṁsetuṁ.They don’t start up work projects. They don’t take up disciplinary issues. They don’t conflict with leading mendicants. They don’t like long and aimless wandering. They’re able to educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire you from time to time with a Dhamma talk.2.4Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu mitto sevitabbo”ti.You should associate with a mendicant friend who possesses these five qualities.”

2.5Chaṭṭhaṁ.