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Once Buddha was staying among the Koliyans, in their market town named Kakkarapatta. Then the Koliyan Dighajanu approached and asked of Buddha a divine favour:
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What is sound friendship? It lies in this: In whatever village or market town a householder lives, he associates, converses, engages in discussions with householders or householders' sons, whether young and highly cultured or old and highly cultured, full of fit faith (saddha) [1] virtue (sila), charity (caga), and wisdom (panna). He acts according to the faith of the faithful, the virtue of the virtuous, the charity of the charitable, and the wisdom of the wise. This is called good friendship.
1. Saddha is not blind faith. It is confidence based on knowledge.
What is balanced livelihood? A householder is to know his income and expenses and leads a balanced life, neither extravagant nor miserly, knowing that thus his income will stand in excess of his expenses, but not his expenses in excess of his income. [Check and tend to the balance.] Amassed wealth has four sources of destruction: 1. 2. 3. 4. Debauchery, Drunkenness, Gambling, Friendship, companionship and intimacy with evil-doers [can drain more resources than what comes in].
There are four sources for increasing amassed wealth: abstaining from debauchery and drunkenness, not indulging in gambling; [choosing your friends with care,] having
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companionship and intimacy with the good. These four are conductive to prosperous well-being and happiness in this very life.
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that leads to destruction of sufferings. This is called the accomplishment of wisdom. These four factors, then, can aid a householder's prosperous well-being and happiness in his future life." Energetic and heedful in his tasks, Administering his wealth wisely, He lives a balanced life, Protecting what he has collected. Endowed with faith and virtue too, He is [adequately] generous and free from greed; He wisely works to clear the path That leads to prosperous well-being in future life. Thus to the layman full of faith, By him, so truly named 'Awakened,' These eight may foster great happiness in this life and later.
Literature Based on Narada Thera. "Vyagghapajja Sutta: Conditions of Welfare" (Anguttara Nikaya, Atthaka-nipata, No. 54). In The Light of the Dhamma. The Wheel Publication No. 14. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society, 1985. Online adaptation: Access to Insight edition 1995.
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