"A Spiritual Friend..."
Leigh Brasington's Collection of Resources
"May all Beings be Free"
"Clean up your act, learn to concentrate,
use your concentrated mind to gain wisdom."
The First Western Conference on
Jhana Practice in Theravada Buddhism
18 - 21 June, 2001
Front Row: Leigh Brasington and Michael Freeman
Back Row: Brad Bettinger, Tracy Lynch, Maureen Bodenbach, Ven. Sister Dipankara,
Ven. Bhante Gunaratana, Marvin Treiger, Kathy Treiger, Lloyd Burton .^-
which you present beautifully and give away freely at:
from Chapter 5 - On Approaching a Good Friend:
Qualities of a Good Friend
A good friend who may be likened to a wealthy chief of merchants honoured by all, to a kind good-hearted person, to a dearly loved parent, steadies one, as the chain the elephant.
A good friend on whom one relies and accomplishes all meritorious activities is like a mahout who causes (the elephant) to go backwards and forwards, is like a good road on which a man can take a yoke of oxen, like a physician who cures diseases and removes pain, like the rain from heaven which moistens everything, like a mother who nurses her child, like a father who guides his son, like parents who ward their children from perils and like a teacher who instructs (his pupils). Therefore, the Blessed One declared to Ananda: "Good companionship is the whole of the holy life." Therefore, one should search for the pre-eminently good man and make him the good friend.
What is meant by pre-eminent good friend? (Here), the fulfilment of acquisition is the meaning (of 'pre-eminent'). The understanding of the Sutta, Abhidhamma and Vinaya is called 'fulfilment of acquisition'.
One understands the seed (?) of kamma and is endowed with beneficient worldly knowledge. One knows the Four Noble Truths.
These two kinds of men are merit-fulfillers. They should be searched for.
If these two kind of merit-fulfillers cannot be fournd, the fulfiller of seven qualities should be considered as a good friend. Such (a man) should also be searched for.
What are the seven qualities? Loveableness, esteemableness, venerableness, the ability to counsel well, patience (in listening), the ability to deliver deep discourses and the not applying oneself to useless ends.
What is 'lovableness'? Led by two kinds of practice, a man preaches well: dwelling together happily, having come to a mutual understanding and not abusing one another.
'Esteemableness' means that one is tranquillized through the action of virtue, fulfils the protections of mindfulness, is not over-desirous and dows not speak much. This is called 'esteemableness'.
'Venerableness' means that one is endowed with the merit of much learning and apprecieates well the value of meditation. This is 'venereableness'.
'The ability to counsel well' means that one considers thus: "Let my speech be lovable, esteemable, venerable and fruitful", and benefits others and esteems the turth. Therefore, one restrains oneself from things that ought not be done. Thus one observes to the end and does not forsake. This is called 'the ability to counsel well'.
'Patience (in listening)' means that one is like a saint, understands well, never hesitates in one's speech and does not flatter.... This is called 'patients (in listening)'.
'(The ablitity to deliver) deep discourses' means that one well understands.... This is called '(the ability to deliver) deep discourses'.
'The not applying oneself to useless ends' means that he understands well the place of kamma. This is 'the not applying oneself to useless ends'.
Thus the seven qualities are completed. These (are qualities of) a good friend who should be searched for.
Visuddhimagga - The Path of Purification by Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa (~550 A.D.)
from Part II - Purification of Concentration, Chapter III - Taking a Meditation Subject:
57. Approach the Good Friend, the giver of a meditation subject: meditation subjects are of two kinds, that is, generally useful meditation subjects, and special meditation subjects.
Herein, lovingkindness towards the Community of Bhikkhus etc., and also mindfulness of death are what are called generally useful meditation submects. Some say perception of foulness, too.
58. When a bhikkhu takes up a meditation subject, he should first develop lovingkindness toward the Community of Bhikkhus within the boundary, limiting it at first [to 'all bhikkhus in this monastery'], in this way: 'May they be happy and free from affliction'. Then he should develop it towards all deities within the boundary. Then towards all the principal people in the village that is his alms resort; then to [all human beings there and to] all living beings dependent on the human beings. With lovingkindness towards the Community of Bhikkhus he produces kindliness in his co-residents; then they are easy for him to live with. With lovingkindness toward the deities within the boundary he is protected by kindly deities with lawful protection. With lovingkindnesstowards the principal people in the village that is his alms resort his requisites are protected by well-disposed principal people with lawful protection. With lovingkindness to all human beings there he goes about without incurring their dislike since they trust him. With lovingkindness to all living beings he can wander unhindered everywhere.
With mindfulness of death, thinking 'I have got to die', he gies up improper search and with a growing sense of urgency he comes to live without attachment.
When his mind is familiar with the perception of foulness, then even divine objects do not tempt his mind to greed.
59. So these are called generally useful and they are called meditation subjects since they are needed generally and desirable owing to their great helpfulness and since they are subjects for the meditation work intended.
60. What is called a 'special meditation subject' is that one from among the forty meditation subjects that is suitable to a man's own temperament. It is 'special (parihariya)' because he must carry it (pariharitabbatta) constantly about with him, and because it is the proximate cause for each highter stage of development.
so it is the one who gives this twofold meditation subject that is called the giver of meditation subject.
61. The Good Friend is one who possesses such special qualities as these:
'And one who speaks and suffers speech;
'The speech he utters is profound,
'He does not urge without a reason', and so on.
62. Because of the words beginning 'Ananda, it is owning to my being a good friend to them that living beings subject to birth and freed from birth' it is only the Fully Enlightened One who possesses all the aspects of the Good Friend. Since that is so, while he is available only a meditation subject taken in the Blessed One's presence is well taken.
But after his final attainment of nibbana, it is proper or take it from any one of the eighty great disciples still living. When they are no more available, on who wants to take a particular meditation subject should take it from someone with cankers destroyed, who has, by means of that particular meditation subject, produced the fourfold and fivefold jhana, and has reached the destruction of cankers by augmenting insight that had that jhana as its proximate cause.
63. But how then, does someone with cankers destroyed declare himself thus: 'I am one whose cankers are destroyed'? Why not? He declares himself when he knows that his instructions will be carried out. Did not the Elder Assagutta spread out his leather mat in the air and sitting cross-legged on it explain a meditation subject to a bhikkhu who was starting his meditation subject, because he knew that that bhikkhu who one who whould carry out his instructions for the meditation subject?
64. So if someone with cankers destroyed is available, that is good. If not, then one should take it from a Non-returner, a Once-returner, a Stream Enterer, an ordinary man who has obtained jhana, one who knows three Pitakas, one who knows two Pitakas, one who knows one Pitaka, in descending order [according as available]. If not evenon one who knows one Pitaka is available, then it should be taken fromone who is familiar with one Collection together with its commentary, and one who is himself conscientious. For a teacher such as this who knows the texts guards the heritage, and protects the tradition, will follow the teacher' opinion reather than his own. Hence the Ancient Elders said three times 'One who is conscientious will guard it'.
65. Now those beginning with one whose cankers are destroyed mentioned above will describe only the path they have themselves reached. But with a learned man, his instructions and his answers to questions are purified by his having approached susch and such teachers, ans so he will explain a meditation subject showing a broad track, like a big elephant going through a stretch of jungle, and he will select suttas and reasons from here and there, add [explanations of] what is suitable and unsuitable. So a meditation subject should be taken by approaching the Good Friend such as this, the giver of a meditation subject, and by doing all the duties to him.
66. If he is available in the same monastery, it is good. If not, one should go to where he lives....
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