[Lal]

The following post is from Lvalio (Lair):

Dutiyasekha Sutta (Iti 17) says:

“Sekhassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno appattamānasassa anuttaraṃ yogakkhemaṃ patthayamānassa viharato bāhiraṃ aṅganti karitvā nāññaṃ ekaṅgampi samanupassāmi yaṃ evaṃ bahūpakāraṃ yathayidaṃ, bhikkhave, kalyāṇamittatā. Kalyāṇamitto, bhikkhave, bhikkhu akusalaṃ pajahati, kusalaṃ bhāvetī”ti. Etamatthaṃ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṃ iti vuccati:

320“Kalyāṇamitto yo bhikkhu,
sappatisso sagāravo;
Karaṃ mittānaṃ vacanaṃ,
sampajāno patissato;
Pāpuṇe anupubbena,
sabbasaṃyojanakkhayan”ti.”

If the Sekkha is at least a Sotapanna, then kalyāṇamittatā Kalyāṇamitto could not be less than a Sotapanna too…

Is that correct?”

Thank you very much!

[Lal]

Hello Lair,

The English translation there, “The Good Friend” is,

““Bhikkhus, in regard to external factors, I do not perceive another single factor so helpful as good friendship for a bhikkhu who is a learner, who has not attained perfection but lives aspiring for the supreme security from bondage. Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who has a good friend abandons what is unwholesome and develops what is wholesome.”

When a bhikkhu has good friends,
And is reverential and respectful,
Doing what his friends advise,
Clearly comprehending and mindful,
He may progressively attain
The destruction of all fetters.”

1. One REQUIRES a teacher only until the Soatapanna stage is attained.
2. The teacher MUST be a Sotapanna or higher.
3. Once one attains the Sotapanna stage, one could go the rest of the way without a teacher. But, of course, a teacher at a higher level could be helpful.

I think the above translation is compatible with that.

Of course, a teacher MUST ALWAYS be at or above the Sotapanna stage. Otherwise, how can he/she instruct how to get there?

[Author]

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