i'm blessed to have many good friends, but no one friend has done as much for my benefit, not including my mother and grandmother. without him, i dont know that i would have taken a serious look at the early buddhist texts (suttas and vinaya) and i've potentially saved myself from whole lifetimes of suffering as a result.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html wrote:The friend who is a helpmate,
the friend in happiness and woe,
the friend who gives good counsel,
the friend who sympathises too —
these four as friends the wise behold
and cherish them devotedly
as does a mother her own child.
The wise and virtuous shine like a blazing fire.
He who acquires his wealth in harmless ways
like to a bee that honey gathers,
riches mount up for him
like ant hill's rapid growth.
With wealth acquired this way,
a layman fit for household life,
in portions four divides his wealth:
thus will he friendship win.
One portion for his wants he uses,
two portions on his business spends,
the fourth for times of need he keeps.
decay and death are inextricable from life. use the human state as an opportunity to make merit, to cleanse your mind of evil states, replacing them with good ones.https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Texts-and-Translations/Dhammapada/26-Brahmins.htm wrote:Yamhā Dhammaṁ vijāneyya Sammāsambuddhadesitaṁ,
That one from whom one learned Dhamma taught by the Perfect Sambuddha,
sakkaccaṁ taṁ namasseyya, aggihuttaṁ va brāhmaṇo. [392]
with respect bow down to him, like brahmin (bows) at fire-sacrifice.
dylan made this fan page for early buddhist texts: Buddhadhamma. we dont post as often as he did but one can look back in photos and read a lot of good stuff. may anyone coming across this post develop wisdom of impermanence and bliss of peace not dependent on any worldly conditions