[673] **Friends**, in the passage "Sympathizing with friends and companions, one with a bound mind neglects the good (mitte suhajje anukampamāno hāpeti atthaṃ paṭibaddhacitto)": there are two kinds of friends — the householder friend (āgārikamitta) and the homeless friend (anāgārikamitta).
Which is the householder friend? Here someone gives what is hard to give, relinquishes what is hard to relinquish, does what is hard to do, endures what is hard to endure; he declares his own secret to him and keeps his secret close; he does not abandon him in misfortunes; even his life is given up for his sake; and when he is ruined, he does not despise him. This is the householder friend.
Which is the homeless friend? Here a bhikkhu is dear and agreeable, respected and worthy of esteem, patient of words and a maker of deep talk; he does not enjoin one in what is wrong; he encourages one in higher virtue (adhisīla); he encourages one in devotion to the development of the four establishments of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna), of the four right strivings (sammappadhāna) … he encourages one in devotion to the development of the four bases of spiritual power (iddhipāda), the five faculties (indriya), the five powers (bala), the seven factors of awakening (bojjhaṅga), the noble eightfold path (magga). This is the homeless friend.
"Companions" (suhajjā) are so called as those with whom going is at ease, coming is at ease, going and coming are at ease, standing is at ease, sitting is at ease, lying down is at ease, addressing is at ease, conversing is at ease, talking is at ease, and discussing together is at ease.
"Sympathizing with friends and companions, he neglects the good": sympathizing with, looking after, and assisting friends and companions, acquaintances, intimates, and comrades, he neglects his own good and the good of others, he neglects the good of both, he neglects the good pertaining to this present life, he neglects the good pertaining to the life to come, he neglects the supreme good (paramattha); he ruins it, casts it aside, makes it disappear. Hence, "sympathizing with friends and companions, he neglects the good."
"With a bound mind": one is of bound mind for two reasons: placing oneself low and placing the other high, one is of bound mind; or placing oneself high and placing the other low, one is of bound mind.
How, placing oneself low and placing the other high, is one of bound mind? "You are of great help to me; relying upon you I obtain robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick; even whatever others think to give me or to do for me — it is relying upon you, out of regard for you. Even my former name and clan derived from my mother and father — that has disappeared: through you I am known as 'the family intimate (kulupaka) of such-and-such a one, the family intimate of such-and-such a woman.'" Thus, placing oneself low and placing the other high, one is of bound mind.
How, placing oneself high and placing the other low, is one of bound mind? "I am of great help to you; relying upon me you have gone to the Buddha for refuge, gone to the Dhamma for refuge, gone to the Saṅgha for refuge; you abstain from the destruction of life, abstain from taking what is not given, abstain from sexual misconduct, abstain from false speech, abstain from fermented and distilled intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness. I declare to you the recitation (uddesa), the interrogation (paripucchā), virtue, and the Uposatha; I supervise the new building-work (navakamma). And yet you forsake me and honor, respect, revere, and venerate others." Thus, placing oneself high and placing the other low, one is of bound mind. Hence, "Sympathizing with friends and companions, one with a bound mind neglects the good."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.