Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
A friend with seven qualities — likable, respected, an admonisher who accepts admonishment, one who speaks on deep matters, and one who never urges bad conduct — is worth associating with, even if they drive you away.
Checked against AN 7.36: no shared items
Unlike several of this chapter's other same-titled pairs, this discourse and AN 7.36 share no items at all when checked term by term. Where AN 7.36's list concerned loyalty tested by difficulty and secrecy, this discourse's list concerns honesty, correction, and depth of conversation — genuinely different criteria for the same underlying relationship.
A friend worth keeping even when they push you away
The discourse's most striking claim is its opening qualifier: such a friend is worth staying close to “even if they drive you away” — suggesting that being pushed away by someone with these seven qualities is not itself evidence the friendship has failed, but potentially part of what makes them worth keeping.
Mutual admonishment, not one-directional correction
The list's central pair — admonishing you and accepting admonishment — describes a friend capable of both giving and receiving correction, rather than someone who only points out others' faults while remaining above correction themselves.
Key terms
The text
Seven qualities of a friend
§1“Mendicants, when a friend has seven qualities you should associate with, accompany, and attend them, even if they drive you away. What seven? They’re likable, agreeable, respected, and admired. They admonish you and they accept admonishment. They speak on deep matters. And they don’t urge you to do bad things. When a friend has these seven qualities you should associate with, accompany, and attend them, even if they drive you away.
The closing verse
§2They’re liked, respected, and admired, an admonisher who accepts admonishment, speaks on deep matters, and doesn’t urge you to do bad. The individual in whom these things are found is your friend. If you want to have a friend, benevolent and sympathetic, then even if they chase you away, you should keep company with that sort.”
Self-check quiz
6 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.