Reading guide
A friend not worth associating with
Starting up work projects; taking up disciplinary issues; conflicting with leading mendicants; liking long and aimless wandering; and being unable to give an inspiring Dhamma talk from time to time.
A shared thread: restless, conflict-prone busyness
Four of the five items name different flavors of the same underlying pattern: a kind of restless engagement — with projects, disputes, seniors, or travel — that unsettles rather than steadies. None of the four requires any stated bad intent to count as a warning sign.
The fifth criterion, familiar from elsewhere
The final item — ability to give an inspiring Dhamma talk — recurs from AN 5.124's carer discourse, where the same competence was named as part of what makes someone fit to care for a sick person.
The mirrored positive
A worthwhile friend avoids all four restless patterns and is able to educate, encourage, and inspire with genuine Dhamma talk.
What comes next
AN 5.147 turns to a different question about generosity: not whether one gives, but the manner in which a gift is given.
Key terms
The text
A friend not to associate with
§1“Mendicants, you shouldn’t associate with a mendicant friend who has five qualities. What five? 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. Mendicants, you shouldn’t associate with a mendicant friend who possesses these five qualities.
A friend to associate with
§2You should associate with a mendicant friend who has five qualities. What five? 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. You should associate with a mendicant friend who possesses these five qualities.”
Self-check quiz
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