Advice on Friends: Patrul Rinpoche

Shinjie Cave, where Patrul Rinpoche wrote "Words of My Perfect Teacher"

The prolific young translator Erick Sherab Zangpo has just posted Patrul Rinpoche's Advice on Friends. You can find the original of this, together with all of Erick's other translations, at Echoes Bouncing Off Echoes, his ever popular blog site.

Advice on Friends

Dza Patrul Rinpoche

A Good Friend Induces Good Habits

If you rely on a friend with knowledge, your intellect will increase.

If you rely on a friend with compassion, you will give birth to bodhichitta.

If you rely on a friend with contentment, your desires will decrease.

If you rely on a friend with generosity, you will give rise to a giving mind.

If you rely on a friend with a peaceful and restrained temperament, your mind-stream will become good.

From a friend with disillusionment with the world, you will become weary of samsara.

From a friend with renunciation, you will give rise to the wish for liberation.

From relying on a friend who cares more about the next life, you will remember to practice the Dharma.

Relying on a friend with few desires, you will give rise to contentment.

From a friend with diligence, your fortitude will become great.

If you associate with a sacred friend, your good qualities will be drawn out.

Relying on a friend with the wish for liberation, you will work for permanent happiness.

From a friend with a virtuous mind, you will give rise to a wholesome attitude.

From a friend with pure perception, you will generate faith.

If you associate with a friend endowed with wisdom, you will accomplish your ultimate aspirations.

These are the habits that come from good company.

The meaning, therefore, is to rely on virtuous friends!



A Bad Friend Induces Bad Habits

If you rely on friend with mental darkness, your wisdom will decrease.

Relying on a friend with anger, your mind-stream will become bad.

Following a friend with lust, you will be nostalgiac for youth.

If you follow a friend with avarice, stinginess will be born.

If you follow a friend with pride, you will remember your haughty position.

Following a friend without renunciation, you will be attached to this life.

Following a friend who seeks after the appearances of this life, you will forget about the next life.

From following a base friend, you will be attentive to commerce.

Following a friend concerned with profit, you will have a business-mind.

Following a friend with craving for wealth, you will be focused on collecting and hoarding.

Following a friend with laziness, you will become indolent.

Following a friend with distractedness, you will be carried away with this life.

Associating with a friend suffused with negativity, you will generate destructive thoughts.

Associating with a friend with no faith, you will be fixated on non-virtue.

These are the habits that come from bad company.

The meaning, therefore, is to abandon evil friends!

And so, at the request of Lama Rigdzin Gyamtso, this was done by Patrul. Virtue!



Translated by Erick Sherab Zangpo.