大乘義章 15.48

15.48

下次明其攝四善友。如彼經說四親，應當親之。一止非友，惡事相止，此據其口；二慈愍友，苦事相憐，此據其意；三利人友，益事與人；四同事友，好事相助，此二據身。止非有四：一見人有惡則能遮止；二示人正直、謂教正理；三慈心愍念善言誨誘；四示人正路，教修出道。慈愍有四：一見利代喜、二見惡代憂、三稱譽人德、四見人說惡便能抑制。利益有四：一者護人不令放逸、二者護人使不失財、三者護人使不恐怖、四者屏相教誡。同事有四：一者為彼不惜身命、二者為彼不惜財寶、三者為彼濟其恐怖、四屏相誡。約離隱方等，略辨如是。

Next, the gathering of the four good friends is explained. As that sūtra states, there are four kinds of true friends whom one should draw close to: First, the friend who stops wrong, who halts evil deeds—this is based on their speech. Second, the compassionate friend, who pities one in suffering—this is based on their intention. Third, the friend who benefits others, who gives beneficial things to others; Fourth, the friend of common cause, who helps one in good deeds—these two are based on bodily action. Stopping wrong has four aspects: 1. Being able to obstruct and stop evil when seeing it in others; 2. Pointing out what is upright to people, namely teaching correct principles; 3. Instructing and encouraging with a compassionate and caring mind and kind words; 4. Pointing out the correct path to people, teaching the cultivation of the path to transcendence. Compassion has four aspects: 1. Rejoicing in place of another when seeing them gain; 2. Grieving in place of another when seeing them face misfortune; 3. Praising the virtues of others; 4. Being able to restrain others when seeing them speak ill. Benefiting others has four aspects: 1. Protecting people so that they are not heedless; 2. Protecting people so that they do not lose wealth; 3. Protecting people so that they do not experience terror; 4. Admonishing them in private. Common cause has four aspects: 1. Not begrudging one's physical life for the other's sake; 2. Not begrudging wealth and treasures for the other's sake; 3. Rescuing them from terror; 4. Admonishing them in private. The explanation concerning the avoidance of concealing the directions and so forth is briefly analyzed in this manner.