At Sāvatthi.

One thing, bhikkhus, is greatly beneficial for the arising of the Noble Eightfold Path. What is that one thing? It isgood friendship. For a bhikkhu who has good friends, bhikkhus, it is to be expected that he will develop and extensively cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path.

And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu with good friends develop and extensively cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view dependent on seclusion, supported by dispassion, based on ending, culminating in complete relinquishment; similarly he develops right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness, dependent on seclusion, supported by dispassion, based on ending, culminating in complete relinquishment. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu with good friends develops and extensively cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path.