The Buddha explains the importance of good friendship, the consequences of habitual engagement in unwholesome and wholesome qualities, wise and superficial attention, the loss or increase of relatives, wealth, and reputation contrasted with the loss or increase of wisdom.

PTS 1.14–1.15

AN 1.71–81 Kalyāṇamittādi vagga - The Chapter Beginning with Good Friendship

1.71

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yena anuppannā vā kusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā vā akusalā dhammā parihāyanti yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, kalyāṇamittatā. Kalyāṇamittassa, bhikkhave, anuppannā ceva kusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā ca akusalā dhammā parihāyantī”ti.

“I do not see any other single quality that causes unarisen wholesome qualities to arise or arisen unwholesome qualities to decline as good friendship. For one with good friends, unarisen wholesome qualities arise and arisen unwholesome qualities decline.”

1.72

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yena anuppannā vā akusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā vā kusalā dhammā parihāyanti yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, anuyogo akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, ananuyogo kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ. Anuyogā, bhikkhave, akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, ananuyogā kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppannā ceva akusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā ca kusalā dhammā parihāyantī”ti.

“I do not see any other single quality that causes unarisen unwholesome qualities to arise or arisen wholesome qualities to decline as habitual engagement in unwholesome qualities and habitual non-engagement in wholesome qualities. Through habitual engagement in unwholesome qualities and habitual non-engagement in wholesome qualities, unarisen unwholesome qualities arise and arisen wholesome qualities decline.”

1.73

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yena anuppannā vā kusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā vā akusalā dhammā parihāyanti yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, anuyogo kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, ananuyogo akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ. Anuyogā, bhikkhave, kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, ananuyogā akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppannā ceva kusalā dhammā uppajjanti uppannā ca akusalā dhammā parihāyantī”ti.

“I do not see any other single quality that causes unarisen wholesome qualities to arise or arisen unwholesome qualities to decline as habitual engagement in wholesome qualities and habitual non-engagement in unwholesome qualities. Through habitual engagement in wholesome qualities and habitual non-engagement in unwholesome qualities, unarisen wholesome qualities arise and arisen unwholesome qualities decline.”

1.74

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yena anuppannā vā bojjhaṅgā nuppajjanti uppannā vā bojjhaṅgā na bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, ayonisomanasikāro. Ayoniso, bhikkhave, manasi karoto anuppannā ceva bojjhaṅgā nuppajjanti uppannā ca bojjhaṅgā na bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchantī”ti.

“I do not see any other single quality that causes unarisen factors of awakening to not arise or arisen factors of awakening to not reach full development as superficial attention. For one who attends superficially, unarisen factors of awakening do not arise and arisen factors of awakening do not reach full development.”

1.75

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi yena anuppannā vā bojjhaṅgā uppajjanti uppannā vā bojjhaṅgā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, yonisomanasikāro. Yoniso, bhikkhave, manasi karoto anuppannā ceva bojjhaṅgā uppajjanti uppannā ca bojjhaṅgā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchantī”ti.

“I do not see any other single quality that causes unarisen factors of awakening to arise or arisen factors of awakening to reach full development as radical attention. For one who attends radically, unarisen factors of awakening arise and arisen factors of awakening reach full development.”

1.76

“Appamattikā esā, bhikkhave, parihāni yadidaṁ ñātiparihāni. Etaṁ patikiṭṭhaṁ, bhikkhave, parihānīnaṁ yadidaṁ paññāparihānī”ti.

“The loss of relatives is a minor loss. But the loss of wisdom is the most severe of all losses.”

1.77

“Appamattikā esā, bhikkhave, vuddhi yadidaṁ ñātivuddhi. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, vuddhīnaṁ yadidaṁ paññāvuddhi.

“The growth of relatives is a minor growth. But the growth in wisdom is the highest of all growths.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘paññāvuddhiyā vaddhissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

Therefore, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will grow in wisdom.’ This is how you should train yourselves.”

1.78

“Appamattikā esā, bhikkhave, parihāni yadidaṁ bhogaparihāni. Etaṁ patikiṭṭhaṁ, bhikkhave, parihānīnaṁ yadidaṁ paññāparihānī”ti.

“The loss of wealth is a minor loss. But the loss of wisdom is the most severe of all losses.”

1.79

“Appamattikā esā, bhikkhave, vuddhi yadidaṁ bhogavuddhi. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, vuddhīnaṁ yadidaṁ paññāvuddhi.

“The growth of wealth is a minor growth. But the growth of wisdom is the highest of all growths.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘paññāvuddhiyā vaddhissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

Therefore, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will grow in wisdom.’ This is how you should train yourselves.”

1.80

“Appamattikā esā, bhikkhave, parihāni yadidaṁ yasoparihāni. Etaṁ patikiṭṭhaṁ, bhikkhave, parihānīnaṁ yadidaṁ paññāparihānī”ti.

“The loss of reputation is a minor loss. But the loss of wisdom is the most severe of all losses.”

1.81

“Appamattikā esā, bhikkhave, vuddhi yadidaṁ yasovuddhi. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, vuddhīnaṁ yadidaṁ paññāvuddhi.

“The increase in reputation is a minor growth. But the growth of wisdom is the highest of all growths.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘paññāvuddhiyā vaddhissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

Therefore, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will grow in wisdom.’ This is how you should train yourselves.”

Qualities:

Bad habits

Bad habits

The repeated indulgence in unskillful actions. Habitual engagement with the unwholesome strengthens defilements, making them harder to abandon and leading to decline.

Also known as: practice of unbeneficial actions, pursuing unskillful actions
Pāli: anuyoga + akusala
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Good friendship

Good friendship

Association with those who are virtuous and wise, who encourage faith, ethical conduct, and discernment. Good friendship is the chief support for progress on the path, guiding one toward right view and wholesome living.

Also known as: friendship with wholesome persons
Pāli: kalyāṇamittatā
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Good habits

Good habits

The repeated practice and pursuit of skillful qualities. By frequently cultivating what is wholesome, the mind inclines naturally toward the good, making the path easier to tread.

Also known as: practice of beneficial actions, pursuing skillful actions
Pāli: anuyoga + kusala
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Radical attention

Radical attention

The active, deliberate steering of the mind away from habitual, automated reaction patterns. It is the wise steering of attention based on a theme of the Dhamma.

Also known as: wise steering of attention, root-level attention, attention to the structural source, contextual reflection
Pāli: yonisomanasikāra
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Superficial attention

Superficial attention

The passive, automatic drifting of the mind into habitual, automated reaction patterns. It is the unskillful steering of attention based on the enticing or repulsive surface features of an object.

Also known as: unwise steering of attention, content-bound reflection
Pāli: ayonisomanasikāra
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on October 31, 2026

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