譯文╱吳．支謙（約197~266）

友有四品，不可不知：

有友如花，有友如秤，有友如山，有友如地。

何謂如花？好時插頭，萎時捐之；

見富貴附，貧賤則棄，是花友也。

何謂如秤？物重頭低，物輕則仰；

有與則敬，無與則慢，是秤友也。

何謂如山？譬如金山，鳥獸集之，毛羽蒙光；

貴能榮人，富樂同歡，是山友也。

何謂如地？百穀財寶，一切仰之，施給養護，

恩厚不薄，是地友也。

──選自《佛說孛經抄》

Four Categories of Friends

Translated into Chinese by Zhi Qian

(Approx. 197 - 266, Wu Dynasty)

English translation: Venerable You Zai

There exist four grades of friends that must be known: those who are like flowers, those who like scales, those like mountains, and those like the earth.

Which friends are like flowers? They wear you on their head when in bloom, throw you away when withered. They adhere to the rich and abandon the poor. These are friends who are like flowers.

Which friends are like scales? Their head lowers when in the face of weight, and raises when the weight disappears. They respect to those of weight, and become arrogant when that weight is missing. These are friends who are like scales.

Which friends are like mountains? They are like a mountain of gold upon which birds and animals gather, whose feathers reflect its glory. Their loftiness brings glory, and their wealth offer joy to others. These are friends who are like mountains.

Which friends are like the earth? All crops and treasures rely on them to flourish. They nourish and protect all beings, and thus, their great kindness is tremendous. These are friends who are like the earth.

── from Fo Shuo Bo Jing Chao(Bei Sutra)