善知識
kalyāṇa-mitra [kalyāṇa mitta] A spiritual friend, a virtuous friend. One who wishes for the welfare of his disciple, is concerned with his progress, and guides his meditation is known as a kalyāṇa-mitra. His qualities are to have faith, be virtuous, learned, liberal and wise. The association with a kalyāṇa-mitra is conducive to the attainment of the path and perfection. It helps the aspirant to realise the seven factors of enlightenment. The Buddha is the spiritual friend par excellence. Since he is a good friend of all living beings, they can cross the saṃsāra. An Arhat is also designated as a kalyāṇa-mitra.
Aṭṭhasālinī. 275; III. 477. Mahāyāna-Sūtrālaṅkāra. IV. 16; XVII. 116. Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtram. III. 132. Saṃyutta Nikāya. Kalyāṇamitta. Visuddhimagga. III. 78-82.
kalyaṇa-mitra
(Sanskrit). A ‘good friend’; any person who can act as a reliable spiritual friend or adviser. In some forms of Buddhism such persons are normally one's teachers and preceptors, but more widely, and especially in the Mahāyāna, it can be anyone who is sufficiently mature and experienced in the practice of the Dharma. Early sources in particular, for example the Sigālovāda Sutta, emphasize the importance of keeping the right company and avoiding the fellowship of those who are drunkards and gamblers.
kalyāna-mitta: 'noble (or good) friend', is called a senior monk who is the mentor and friend of his pupil, "wishing for his welfare and concerned with his progress", guiding his meditation; in particular, the meditation teacher (kammaṭṭhānācariya) is so called. For details see Vis.M. III, 28,57ff. The Buddha said that "noble friendship is the entire holy life" (S. III, 18; XLV, 2), and he himself is the good friend par excellence: "Ānanda, it is owing to my being a good friend to them that living beings subject to birth are freed from birth" (S. III, 18).
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