Dhammapada 78
Do not keep company with bad friends or with people of the lowest kind
Do not keep company with bad friends or with people of the lowest kind. Keep company with good friends; keep company with people of the best kind.
Translated from the Pāli by Banya
Pāli
Na bhaje pāpake mitte,
na bhaje purisādhame;
Bhajetha mitte kalyāṇe,
bhajetha purisuttame.
In plain words
The verse asks you to choose friends by the quality of their conduct. It steers you away from harmful company and toward people who live well.
Key words
- kalyāṇa
- good — Qualifies the friends one is encouraged to keep company with.
The story behind the verse
Channa, Elder
In the commentary, Channa was a monk who spoke boastfully about his connection with the Buddha. He disparaged the chief disciples, and the Buddha admonished him and directed him toward good companions. Channa did not immediately change his behavior, and after the Buddha’s death, Ānanda carried out the disciplinary sanction instructed for Channa. The sanction left Channa deeply remorseful, and he practiced earnestly and eventually attained liberation.
Retold by Banya from the traditional commentary, after E. W. Burlingame, Buddhist Legends (1921).
To reflect on
Whose company supports the way you want to live?
Try it today
Make a little time for someone whose conduct you respect.
Explanation by Banya. Traditional readings vary.