[465] 26. "Bhikkhus, these three persons are found existing in the world. Which three? There is, bhikkhus, a person who should not be associated with, not followed, not attended upon; there is, bhikkhus, a person who should be associated with, followed, and attended upon; there is, bhikkhus, a person who should be associated with, followed, and attended upon only after paying honor and respect to him.
"And which, bhikkhus, is the person who should not be associated with, not followed, not attended upon? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is inferior in virtue (sīla), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā). Such a person, bhikkhus, should not be associated with, not followed, not attended upon — except out of sympathy, except out of compassion.
"And which, bhikkhus, is the person who should be associated with, followed, and attended upon? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is similar to oneself in virtue, concentration, and wisdom. Such a person, bhikkhus, should be associated with, followed, and attended upon. For what reason? (Because one considers:) 'For us who have attained likeness in virtue, there will be talk on virtue, and it will proceed for us, and it will be comfortable for us. For us who have attained likeness in concentration, there will be talk on concentration, and it will proceed for us, and it will be comfortable for us. For us who have attained likeness in wisdom, there will be talk on wisdom, and it will proceed for us, and it will be comfortable for us.' Therefore such a person should be associated with, followed, and attended upon.
"And which, bhikkhus, is the person who should be associated with, followed, and attended upon after paying honor and respect to him? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is superior in virtue, concentration, and wisdom. Such a person, bhikkhus, should be associated with, followed, and attended upon after paying honor and respect to him. For what reason? (Because one considers:) 'I shall fulfill the aggregate of virtue (sīlakkhandha) not yet fulfilled, or assist with wisdom in this and that respect the aggregate of virtue already fulfilled; I shall fulfill the aggregate of concentration not yet fulfilled, or assist with wisdom in this and that respect the aggregate of concentration already fulfilled; I shall fulfill the aggregate of wisdom not yet fulfilled, or assist with wisdom in this and that respect the aggregate of wisdom already fulfilled.' Therefore such a person should be associated with, followed, and attended upon after paying honor and respect to him.
"These, bhikkhus, are the three persons found existing in the world."
A man who associates with the inferior declines;
one who associates with equals never falls away;
drawing near to the superior, one swiftly rises;
therefore one should follow one better than oneself.
[Footnote 1: The Burmese edition reads throughout with the subject-word and the verb-forms in the plural sense.]
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.