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Samyutta Nikaya

# SN 45.3 Sāriputta Sutta (Discourse to Sāriputta) SN 45.3

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    [page 1]
    SN 45.3
    Saṁyutta Nikāya
    The Connected Discourses

    Mahāvagga Saṁyutta
    The Connected Discourses on The Great Section
    Magga Saṁyutta
    Connected Discourses on the Path
    Avijjā Vagga
    The Section on Ignorance

    Sāriputta Sutta
    “Discourse to Sāriputta”

    Translated by Bhikkhu Candana
    Copyright © Bhikkhu Candana 2025

    This is what I personally heard.

    Once, while The Blessed One was living in Sāvatthi, the Venerable Sāriputta went and
    approached The Blessed One, and after having paid his respects, he sat to one side and made this
    statement while addressing The Teacher:

    “Bhante, having true and genuine spiritual companions should truly be considered the entirety of
    This Holy Life!

    “That is, when one is blessed with having true and genuine friends, who are authentic in their
    kindness, uncompromising in their goodness and encouraging support, as well as in their
    unrelenting willingness to help one on The Path!

    “Sādhu, Sādhu indeed, Sāriputta! For that is truly so, Sāriputta! Having true and genuine spiritual
    companions is indeed to be considered the entirety of This Holy Life!

    “That is, when one is blessed with having true and genuine friends, who are authentic in their
    kindness, uncompromising in their goodness and encouraging support, as well as in their
    unrelenting willingness to help one on The Path!

    After all, Sāriputta, when a Bhikkhu does in fact have true and genuine friends, who are
    authentic in their kindness, uncompromising in their goodness and encouraging support, as well

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    as in their unrelenting willingness to help him, then this itself leads the Bhikkhu to seriously
    dedicate his energy to cultivating himself, while developing through the Noble Eightfold Path.

    “And in what manner, Sāriputta, can the Bhikkhu, who does have true and genuine friends,
    seriously dedicate his energy to cultivating himself, while developing through the Noble
    Eightfold Path?

    1. “Here, Sāriputta, the Bhikkhu develops in himself the Right View, while faithfully dedicating
    himself to The Training through his relentless and persevering energy; steadily deepening his
    practice in seclusion, which leads him to experience dispassion and cessation, all of which
    culminate into the full experience of Release.

    2. “Further, the Bhikkhu develops in himself the Right Intention, while faithfully dedicating
    himself to The Training through his relentless and persevering energy; steadily deepening his
    practice in seclusion, which leads him to experience dispassion and cessation, all of which
    culminate into the full experience of Release.

    3. “He develops in himself Right Speech and Communication, while faithfully dedicating
    himself to The Training through his relentless and persevering energy; steadily deepening his
    practice in seclusion, which leads him to experience dispassion and cessation, all of which
    culminate into the full experience of Release.

    4. “He develops in himself Right Action, while faithfully dedicating himself to The Training
    through his relentless and persevering energy; steadily deepening his practice in seclusion, which
    leads him to experience dispassion and cessation, all of which culminate into the full experience
    of Release.

    5. “He develops in himself Right Livelihood, while faithfully dedicating himself to The Training
    through his relentless and persevering energy; steadily deepening his practice in seclusion, which
    leads him to experience dispassion and cessation, all of which culminate into the full experience
    of Release.

    6. “He develops in himself Right Effort, while faithfully dedicating himself to The Training
    through his relentless and persevering energy; steadily deepening his practice in seclusion, which
    leads him to experience dispassion and cessation, all of which culminate into the full experience
    of Release.

    7. “He develops in himself Right Mindfulness, while faithfully dedicating himself to The
    Training through his relentless and persevering energy; steadily deepening his practice in
    seclusion, which leads him to experience dispassion and cessation, all of which culminate into
    the full experience of Release.

    8. “He develops in himself Right Concentration, while faithfully dedicating himself to The
    Training through his relentless and persevering energy; steadily deepening his practice in
    seclusion, which leads him to experience dispassion and cessation, all of which culminate into
    the full experience of Release.

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    “It is therefore in this manner, Sāriputta, that the Bhikkhu, who has true and genuine friends,
    seriously dedicates his energy to cultivating himself, and thereby develops through the Noble
    Eightfold Path.

    “So, here you have another way of understanding, Sāriputta, as to why and how having true and
    genuine spiritual companions is considered to be the entirety of This Holy Life!

    “After all, Sāriputta, it is through dependence on me, as their True and genuine Spiritual Friend,
    that beings who are subject to birth, become fully released and liberated from ever experiencing
    birth again; beings who are destined to get sick, to decay and age, all become fully released and
    liberated from ever experiencing sickness, decay, and ageing again; beings who are destined to
    dying, all become fully released and liberated from ever experiencing death again; beings who
    are destined to grief, sorrow, wailing and crying, pain, depression, and anguish, all become fully
    released and liberated from experiencing grief, sorrow, wailing and crying, pain, depression, and
    anguish, ever again.

    “Therefore, Sāriputta, this is yet another way of understanding as to why and how having true
    and genuine spiritual companions is considered to be the entirety of This Holy Life, indeed!”

    Sādhu

    Sādhu

    Sādhu

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