At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to the noble eightfold path, or, if it’s already arisen, fully develops it like good friendship. “Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekadhammampi samanupassāmi, yena anuppanno vā ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo uppajjati, uppanno vā ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchati, yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, kalyāṇamittatā. A mendicant with good friends can expect to develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path. Kalyāṇamittassetaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvessati, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkarissati.

And how does a mendicant with good friends develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāveti, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroti? It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. That’s how a mendicant with good friends develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path.” Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kalyāṇamitto ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāveti, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkarotī”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.