In plain words
We must not crave ‘taste’ like that. It makes a ‘waste’ of our ‘life’. We should eat something or other just to fill the stomach, without an eye on ‘taste’.
Who are true friends?
“What gift is greater than the gift of food? What God is there beyond mother and father? Look: what gain is greater than the company of the good?” By the company of the good you too become good. Who are your friends? Only the good are your true friends. Whatever kind of people you make friends with, you too become like them. So you must keep company with the good, see the good, talk with the good, live with the good. Only then will you become good; otherwise you will go to ruin. What help has your friend given you? What help have you given your friend? If you do not turn him to the good path, what use is it? When you fall in with a bad person, you must change him into a good one. If it happens that you yourself are the bad one, your friend must make you good. That is true friendship. To set each other right, each to bring the other a good name: that is the mark of true friendship. Friends today greet each other, ‘hello, hello’; then they say ‘good bye’ and part. What is the use? You should not say ‘good bye’; through each other you should each become a ‘good boy’. Only when we follow a true path in daily life can we become well educated, discerning and courageous. If you are good, if you are ready to sacrifice, any number of people will come along with you. If you are not good, if your conduct is not right, no one will so much as look your way. If you have no ‘character’, only those without ‘character’ will gather round you. Such friendship is made of passing glitter. You say, ‘He is my good friend’. For how long? Only for a while! After that, if you do not listen to him, if you do not give him what he wants, he turns into your bitterest enemy. So you must be very careful in the matter of ‘friendship’.