Article No.2008

Written by London swaminathan

Swami_48@yahoo.com

Date : 21  July 2015

Time uploaded in London : 20-36

Anacharsis, coming to Athens, knocked at Solon’s door, and told him that he, being a stranger, was come to be his guest, and contract a friendship with him and Solon replying, “It is better to make friends at home,” Anacharsis replied, “Then you that are at home make a friendship with me.”

((Anacharsis : Scythian philosopher who lived in sixth century BCE

Solon: Greek statesman who lived in sixth century BCE))

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Abraham Lincoln’s Friend

Thousands of appeals for pardon came to Lincoln from soldiers involved in military discipline. Each appeal was as a rule supported by letters from influential people. One day a single sheet came before him, an appeal from a soldier without any supporting documents.

“What!” exclaimed the President, “has this man no friends?”

“No, sir, not one,” said the adjutant.

“Then,” said Lincoln, “I will be his friend.”

((adjutant: a military officer who acts like an administrative assistant to a Senior Officer))

Quotations on Friends and Friendship

Valluvar’s Advice

Tiruvalluvar, Tamil poet who lived at least 1500 years ago says in his Tirukkural:
“Weigh the worth and chose for friendship men of ripe wisdom who know the law (Kural 441)

“Friendship is not that which shines as a smile in the face; friendship is which shines as a joy in the soul within” ( Kural 786)

“What matters whether we win or lose the friendship of the unsympathetic who show love when it profits them and withhold it when it does not” – Kural 812

Friendship with a bad person is like a clay pot – easy to break but difficult to put back together.

Friendship with a good person is like a golden vase – difficult to break but easy to put back together

– Hitopadesa 1-223

What is to be cultivated with affection?
Compassion towards the helpless and friendship with the good.

What bestows happiness?
Friendship with good people. —Adi Shankara, Prasnottara Ratnamalika

Secret whispering kills friendship;

Counsel is ruined by garrulity (Talkativeness);

Waters break a bridge;

Cowards only are routed by a mere noise

–Katha Sari Sagara Story of the Monkey

The good are easily melted with compassion, and show causeless friendship to all.

–Introduction to Katha Sarit Sagara

Love for one’s equal is called friendship – Swami Chinmayananda

Why do friends go away?

When they get nothing from you, they go away.

—Katha Sarit Sagara

“Wealth obtained by oppression of subjects,

Friendship obtained by deceit

And lady love gained by violence

Will not remain long” (—Katha Sarit Sagara :

Story of the Three Fish)

Bible on Friends: “Wealth makes many friends;

But a man without means loses the friend he has “– Proverbs 20,4

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