1“These three people are found in the world. What three? There is a person you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend. There is a person you should associate with, accompany, and attend. There is a person you should associate with, accompany, and attend with honor and respect.

Who is the person you shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend? It’s someone who is inferior in terms of ethics, immersion, and wisdom. You shouldn’t associate with, accompany, or attend such a person, except out of kindness and compassion.

2Who is the person you should associate with, accompany, and attend? It’s someone who is similar in terms of ethics, immersion, and wisdom. You should associate with, accompany, and attend such a person. Why is that? Thinking, ‘Since our ethical conduct is similar, we can discuss ethics, the conversation will flow, and we’ll both be at ease. Since our immersion is similar, we can discuss immersion, the conversation will flow, and we’ll both be at ease. Since our wisdom is similar, we can discuss wisdom, the conversation will flow, and we’ll both be at ease.’ That’s why you should associate with, accompany, and attend such a person.

3Who is the person you should associate with, accompany, and attend with honor and respect? It’s someone who is superior in terms of ethics, immersion, and wisdom. You should associate with, accompany, and attend such a person with honor and respect. Why is that? Thinking, ‘I’ll fulfill the entire spectrum of ethical conduct I haven’t yet fulfilled, or support with wisdom in every situation the ethical conduct I’ve already fulfilled. I’ll fulfill the entire spectrum of immersion I haven’t yet fulfilled, or support with wisdom in every situation the immersion I’ve already fulfilled. I’ll fulfill the entire spectrum of wisdom I haven’t yet fulfilled, or support with wisdom in every situation the wisdom I’ve already fulfilled.’ That’s why you should associate with, accompany, and attend this person with honor and respect.

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These are the three people found in the world.

4A man who associates with an inferior goes downhill,
but associating with an equal, you’ll never decline;
following the best, you’ll quickly rise up,
so you should keep company with people better than you.”

1"Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame tayo? Atthi, bhikkhave, puggalo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo. Atthi, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo. Atthi, bhikkhave, puggalo sakkatvā garuṁ katvā sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo hīno hoti sīlena samādhinā paññāya. Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo na sevitabbo na bhajitabbo na payirupāsitabbo aññatra anuddayā aññatra anukampā.

2Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sadiso hoti sīlena samādhinā paññāya. Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo. Taṁ kissa hetu? Sīlasāmaññagatānaṁ sataṁ sīlakathā ca no bhavissati, sā ca no pavattinī bhavissati, sā ca no phāsu bhavissati. Samādhisāmaññagatānaṁ sataṁ samādhikathā ca no bhavissati, sā ca no pavattinī bhavissati, sā ca no phāsu bhavissati. Paññāsāmaññagatānaṁ sataṁ paññākathā ca no bhavissati, sā ca no pavattinī bhavissati, sā ca no phāsu bhavissatīti. Tasmā evarūpo puggalo sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo.

3Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo sakkatvā garuṁ katvā sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo adhiko hoti sīlena samādhinā paññāya. Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo sakkatvā garuṁ katvā sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo. Taṁ kissa hetu? Iti aparipūraṁ vā sīlakkhandhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ vā sīlakkhandhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmi; aparipūraṁ vā samādhikkhandhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ vā samādhikkhandhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmi; aparipūraṁ vā paññākkhandhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ vā paññākkhandhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmīti. Tasmā evarūpo puggalo sakkatvā garuṁ katvā sevitabbo bhajitabbo payirupāsitabbo.

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Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.

4Nihīyati puriso nihīnasevī,
Na ca hāyetha kadāci tulyasevī;
Seṭṭhamupanamaṁ udeti khippaṁ,
Tasmā attano uttariṁ bhajethā"ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.