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The Discourse on Enlightenment
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Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"If, monks, heterodox wandering ascetics were to ask thus - 'What, friend, is the proximate cause for the development of the factors pertaining to enlightenment?' - thus asked, you, monks, how would you answer those heterodox wandering ascetics?" "The teachings have the Blessed One as their root, venerable sir, etc. having heard from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it."
"Well then, monks, listen, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"If, monks, heterodox wandering ascetics were to ask thus - 'What, friend, is the proximate cause for the development of the factors pertaining to enlightenment?' - thus asked, you, monks, should answer those heterodox wandering ascetics thus -
"Here, friend, a monk has good friends, good companions, good associates. This, friend, is the first proximate cause for the development of the factors pertaining to enlightenment.
"Furthermore, friend, a monk is virtuous, he dwells restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in good conduct and lawful resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, having accepted the training rules he trains in them. This, friend, is the second proximate cause for the development of the factors pertaining to enlightenment.
"Furthermore, friend, a monk - whatever talk is conducive to effacement, suitable for opening the mind, as follows - talk about fewness of wishes, talk about contentment, talk about solitude, talk about aloofness from society, talk about arousal of energy, talk about morality, talk about concentration, talk about wisdom, talk about liberation, talk about knowledge and vision of liberation - of such talk he is one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble. This, friend, is the third proximate cause for the development of the factors pertaining to enlightenment.
"Furthermore, friends, a monk dwells putting forth strenuous energy for the abandoning of unwholesome mental states and for the acquisition of wholesome mental states, steadfast, of firm effort, not shirking the responsibility regarding wholesome mental states. This, friend, is the fourth proximate cause for the development of the factors pertaining to enlightenment.
"Furthermore, friend, a monk is wise, endowed with wisdom that discerns rise and fall, noble, penetrative, leading rightly to the complete elimination of suffering. This, friend, is the fifth proximate cause for the development of the factors pertaining to enlightenment."
"For a monk with good friends, monks, good companions, good associates, this is to be expected - he will be virtuous, he will dwell restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in good conduct and lawful resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, having accepted the training rules he will train in them.
"For a monk with good friends, monks, good companions, good associates, this is to be expected - whatever talk is conducive to effacement, suitable for opening the mind, as follows - talk about fewness of wishes, talk about contentment, talk about solitude, talk about aloofness from society, talk about arousal of energy, talk about morality, talk about concentration, talk about wisdom, talk about liberation, talk about knowledge and vision of liberation - of such talk he will be one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble.
"For a monk with good friends, monks, good companions, good associates, this is to be expected - he will dwell putting forth strenuous energy for the abandoning of unwholesome mental states and for the acquisition of wholesome mental states, steadfast, of firm effort, not shirking the responsibility regarding wholesome mental states.
"For a monk with good friends, monks, good companions, good associates, this is to be expected - he will be wise, endowed with wisdom that discerns rise and fall, noble, penetrative, leading rightly to the complete elimination of suffering.
"And further, monks, by that monk, having been established in these five qualities, four qualities are to be further developed - foulness is to be developed for the abandoning of lust, friendliness is to be developed for the abandoning of anger, mindfulness of breathing is to be developed for the arrest of applied thought, perception of impermanence is to be developed for the uprooting of the conceit 'I am'. For one perceiving impermanence, monks, perception of non-self becomes established. One perceiving non-self attains the uprooting of the conceit 'I am' - Nibbāna in this very life." The first.