Types of Friendship : Beneficial Friends and Harmful Friends

Do you choose your friends well...?

Here is some Ancient Wisdom...

TYPES OF FRIENDSHIP 
BENEFICIAL FRIENDSHIP AND HARMFUL FRIENDSHIP

A Philosophical Approach to Life

Musings

By

VIKRAM KARVE

I invest in books. 

 

Just like some other investments – where one invests and forgets about it for years – sometimes I buy a book – and I may not read it for years.

Whenever I buy a book – I always write the date and place of purchase. 

 

This morning while I was cleaning my bookcase – I came across a book titled “A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy” which I had picked up on 26 Jan 2003 at the annual Strand Book Fair at Churchgate Mumbai. 

I opened a random page – and here is the gem of ancient wisdom that I read about various Types of Friendship:

6 KINDS OF FRIENDSHIP – 3 BENEFICIAL and  3 HARMFUL

Confucius said:

 

There are

Three kinds of Friendship which are Beneficial

and

Three kinds of Friendship which are Harmful

3 Types of BENEFICIAL FRIENDSHIPS

1. Friendship with the Upright 

2. Friendship with the Truthful

3. Friendship with the well-informed 

These three types of friendship is BENEFICIAL

3 Types of HARMFUL FRIENDSHIPS

1. Friendship with those who flatter – especially “yes-men” who will lead you up the garden path

2. Friendship with those who are meek – and are so weak that they compromise with their principles 

3. Friendship with those who talk cleverly

These three types of friendship are HARMFUL 

So – Dear Reader – while selecting your friends – bear in mind the above analect of Confucius – and choose your friends with care.

Invest in beneficial friendships and make good friends

and 

Avoid harmful friendships with those who can cause you harm.  

Well – I always believe that it is best to have a philosophical approach to life. 

So – I am going to read this book of ancient wisdom. 

And – from time to time – I will share with you some gems of ancient wisdom with you in my blog. 

VIKRAM KARVE 

NB: This is a revised repost of my earlier blog posts in my blog at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2010/10/friendship.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/01/the-art-of-friendship.html