Source:: [SuttaCentral.net](https://suttacentral.net/sn45.2/en/sujato?layout=sidebyside&script=latin) # SN45.2 Upaḍḍhasutta | [[Kalyanamitta|Kalyāṇamitta]] is the Whole of the Spiritual Path Tags:: [[Kalyanamitta|Kalyāṇamitta]], [[Ananda|Ānanda]] ## Notes > [!NOTE] "The Whole of Spiritual Life" — In Upaḍḍhasutta ([SN45.2](https://suttacentral.net/sn45.2/en/sujato)) > Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: > _Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:_ > > “Sir, **==good friends, companions, and associates==** are **half the spiritual life**.” > > _“**upaḍḍhamidaṁ**, bhante, **brahmacariyaṁ**, yadidaṁ—**==kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā==**”ti._ > > “**==Not so, Ānanda==**! Not so, Ānanda! > _“**Mā hevaṁ, ānanda**, mā hevaṁ, ānanda._ > > Good friends, companions, and associates are **==the whole of the spiritual life==**. > _**Sakalamevidaṁ**, ānanda, **==brahmacariyaṁ==**, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā._ > > A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can **expect to develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path**. > > _Kalyāṇamittassetaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṁ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa—**ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvessati**, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ **bahulīkarissati**._ > ^half-of-the-path ## Sutta (Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato) Linked Discourses 45.2 Saṁyutta Nikāya 45.2 1. Ignorance 1. Avijjāvagga Half the Spiritual Life Upaḍḍhasutta So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, where they have a town named Townsville. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakyesu viharati nagarakaṁ nāma sakyānaṁ nigamo. Variant: sakyesu → sakkesu (bj) | nagarakaṁ nāma → nāgarakaṁ nāma (bj); sakkaraṁ nāma (sya-all, pts1ed, mr) Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, good friends, companions, and associates are half the spiritual life.” “upaḍḍhamidaṁ, bhante, brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā”ti. “Not so, Ānanda! Not so, Ānanda! “Mā hevaṁ, ānanda, mā hevaṁ, ānanda. Good friends, companions, and associates are the whole of the spiritual life. Sakalamevidaṁ, ānanda, brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā. A mendicant with good friends, companions, and associates can expect to develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path. Kalyāṇamittassetaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṁ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa—ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvessati, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkarissati. And how does a mendicant with good friends develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path? Kathañcānanda, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāveti, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroti? It’s when a mendicant develops right view, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. Idhānanda, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ; They develop right thought … sammāsaṅkappaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ …pe… right speech … sammāvācaṁ bhāveti …pe… right action … sammākammantaṁ bhāveti …pe… right livelihood … sammāājīvaṁ bhāveti …pe… right effort … sammāvāyāmaṁ bhāveti …pe… right mindfulness … sammāsatiṁ bhāveti …pe… right immersion, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. That’s how a mendicant with good friends develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path. Evaṁ kho, ānanda, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto kalyāṇasahāyo kalyāṇasampavaṅko ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāveti, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroti. And here’s another way to understand how good friends are the whole of the spiritual life. Tadamināpetaṁ, ānanda, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sakalamevidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā. For, by relying on me as a good friend, sentient beings who are liable to rebirth, old age, and death, to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress are freed from all these things. Mamañhi, ānanda, kalyāṇamittaṁ āgamma jātidhammā sattā jātiyā parimuccanti; jarādhammā sattā jarāya parimuccanti; maraṇadhammā sattā maraṇena parimuccanti; sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā sattā sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimuccanti. This is another way to understand how good friends are the whole of the spiritual life.” Iminā kho etaṁ, ānanda, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sakalamevidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, yadidaṁ—kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā”ti.