การคบมิตรในพระพุทธศาสนา

            The purpose of this thesis is io study the principle of friendship in Buddhism from the Tipitakas, commen nentaries and the conceming books written by modem Buddhist scholars. In this research study, it concers the meanings, types and characteristics of friend, the principles of friendship, the principles to develop friendship and the problems ns arising from association as mentioned in Buddhism, incloding analytical s#udy in order to apply into practiou.

            The result of research shows that the frisnd, aeco cording to Buddhism, has three lierally meanings as follows :

            1. Literally, it refers to the term "mitta" that is associated with the tern "mettar", and means loving kindness, good wish, sincerity.

            2. Gencrally, it depends on the conventional using of the people in socicty, for cxamples the terns friend (mitta), companion (sabayaka), mean those who make frends witbout mmaking distinction about natioa, religion, sex and caste, etc.

            3, In its wide meaning. it is not only concemed with person, but also extends to the counnunication, environment and knowledge,etc. If one selects a bad comhunication, environmen! and associates with the bad, it will bring about disudvantages to oneself, and vice versa.

            Friend is very important for everyone because human being cannot live alome, but we need to live togethber in arder to belp, work and cansole cach otbers, If one asseciales es with a good friend, one' e's life will be developed. ed. With bad frend. one's life will be foiled. Buddhism very much emphasizes this concept and brietly classifes frend into two groups. They are:

            Firstly, true frieed, a sincere and trustful one. Buddhisns supports the associztion with such friend.

            Secondly, false friend, one who is selfish and not sincerer should not bhe associated with. 'Tbe association with such frieed will be condemned by oxhers.

            Brietly speaking, in dnily life man associst oeiatos with both good and had friends. However, one who expects the progress of oneself hes to know bow to associate with good friends. Buddhism states mach about association with fiend, such as in Discourse of (Mangalasutta), stating not to associate with fools, but to

associate with the wise, according to the Four Virtues of Wheeling (Cukka 4) and the principle of Six ix Directions (Disa 6),

             In the other hand, there are many doctrines that can be appled into practice tagether with the principles of friendship in daily life such as Bases of Sympathy (Sangalavatthu 4) the Sublime States o s of Mind (Brahmavibar 4) and the Four Prejndice (Agati 4).