Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, at Jetṛ’s Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. The the Exalted One said to the monks:

“One should keep close company with a spiritual friend lest one should fall into the habit of doing evil and be convinced of the harmlessness of evil action. Thus, O monks, by keeping close with a spiritual friend one is fully convinced of one’s progress and growth in regard to the following: considerable growth in learning, generosity, insight-knowledge and wisdom. If a monk keeps close company with a spiritual friend, he will not fall into the habit of doing evil. But if he keeps company with a bad friend, he will lose trust, be wanting in moral training, in learning, insight-knowledge and wisdom. For this reason, O monks, you should keep close company with a spiritual friend and not a bad friend. Thus, O monks, you should train.”

After listening to the Buddha’s words, the monks were pleased and respectfully applied themselves to practice.