Friends:
The Golden
Buddhist Life Standards are the Primary Laws!
The golden Buddhist's life standards make harmony for oneself and
others. This layman's code of discipline (gihi-vinaya) organize
social relationships so that they produce a society of happy being
and beings: Law 2 is:
Law
2: Choose only True Friends and Prudent Money Planning:
A.
Choosing only good people as true friends will make life prosperous
and constructive:
How to recognize
the 4 kinds of false friends only imitating a surface of goodness
(mitta-patirupaka)?
I. The habitual cheater who only takes from friends, has four features:
1. He thinks only of getting & rarely of giving
2. He gives only little when in the hope of getting much.
3. Only when he is pressed in danger does he help his friend.
4. He imitates friendliness only to promote his own advantage.
II. The smooth
talker has four features:
1. He talks only of what is already done & now gone.
2. He talks only of what has not yet come.
3. He offers only help that has no true effect.
4. When his friend needs a hand, he then makes many excuses.
III. The empty
flatterer has four features:
1. He agrees even, when his friend is doing some wrong.
2. He also agrees, when his friend is doing right.
3. He sings only his beguiling praises, when the friend is present.
4. He runs him down behind his back, when the friend is absent.
IV. The leader
to ruin has four features:
1. He is a companion only when drinking.
2. He is a companion only when partying.
3. He is a companion only in frequenting shows and amusements.
4. He is a companion only in gambling, gaming and betting.
How to recognize
the 4 kinds of true friends with a genuine core goodness (suhada-mitta)?
I. The helping friend has four features:
1. When his friend is off guard, then he guards & protects him.
2. When his friend is off guard, he guards & protects his property.
3. In times of danger, he is always a refuge of help & ready
assistance.
4. In times of need, then he gives much more than asked for.
II. The friend
through thick and thin has four features:
1. He confess his own secrets to his friend.
2. He keeps his friend's secrets safe and sound.
3. He does not desert or betray his friend in times of danger.
4. He will give even his own life for his friend's sake.
III The good
counsellor has four features:
1. He restrains his friend from doing evil or harm.
2. He encourages him to do good & accumulate merit.
3. He explain to his friend, what he has not heard before.
4. He points out the way to prosperity, progress and happiness.
IV. The loving
friend has four features:
1. When his friend is unhappy, he sympathizes in pity.
2. When his friend is happy, he is also happy for him.
3. When others criticize his friend, he comes to his defence.
4. When others praise his friend, he joins in their praise.
Such
are the 4 false and the 4 true friends. Please take note of that!
B. Allocating
one's wealth rightly by being intelligent in earning, spending &
saving:
1. One portion is to be used for supporting oneself, family, dependents,
and for charity & good works.
2. Two portions to be used for investment in one's business or owned
structures.
3. Another portion to be put aside as savings for future needs.
The Golden Buddhist
Life Standards are the Primary Laws!
Source: A
constitution for Living. Buddhist Principles for a Fruitful and
Harmonious Life.
Ven. P.A. Payutto. Thailand. Buddhist Publication Society 2007:
BP 620S http://www.bps.lk