Yes. When Ven. Ananda asked whether the cultivation of the spiritual path (Noble Path) for an average person (puthijjana) depends 50% on having “kalyāṇa mittatās,” the Buddha told Ven. Ananda that it TOTALLY depends on “kalyāṇa mittatās.”
- Note that these are not just “friends” but “Noble friends,” those who have understood Dhamma and thus can teach the correct Dhamma. We need to try to maintain that “chain of Noble friends” so that a future generation will take over when we die.
