Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.123 13.

First Discourse on Diverse Outcomes

Bhayavagga Paṭhamanānākaraṇasutta “Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

Disciples, there are these four types of individuals existing in the world.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Here a certain individual, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by directed and sustained attention, with pīti and pleasure born of seclusion.

So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati.

He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it.

Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

Having done so, he remains there, committed to it, frequently dwelling in it, and without falling away, he passes away and is reborn in the company of the Brahma gods.

Brahmakāyikānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ kappo āyuppamāṇaṁ.

The lifespan of the Brahma gods is an eon.

Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.

There, an ordinary person, having remained for the full lifespan of those gods, after exhausting that lifespan, can go to hell, the animal realm, or the realm of ghosts.

Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati.

But a disciple of the Blessed One, having remained for the full lifespan of those gods, after exhausting that lifespan, attains final Nibbāna in that very existence.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.

This is the distinction, the specific difference, the distinguishing factor between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person, namely, in terms of their destination and rebirth.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Again here a certain individual, with the subsiding of directed and sustained attention, with inner tranquility and unification of mind, without directed and sustained attention, with pīti and pleasure born of concentration, enters and dwells in the second jhāna.

So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati.

He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it.

Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno ābhassarānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

Having done so, he remains there, committed to it, frequently dwelling in it, and without falling away, he passes away and is reborn in the company of the Radiant gods.

Ābhassarānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ dve kappā āyuppamāṇaṁ.

The lifespan of the Radiant gods is two eons.

Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.

There, an ordinary person, having remained for the full lifespan of those gods, after exhausting that lifespan, can go to hell, the animal realm, or the realm of ghosts.

Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati.

But a disciple of the Blessed One, having remained for the full lifespan of those gods, after exhausting that lifespan, attains final Nibbāna in that very existence.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.

This is the distinction, the specific difference, the distinguishing factor between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person, namely, in terms of their destination and rebirth.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Again here a certain individual, with the fading away of pīti, dwells in equanimity, mindful and fully aware, and experiences pleasure with the body; he enters and dwells in the third jhāna, which the noble ones declare: He dwells in equanimity, mindful and fully aware, experiencing pleasure with the body.

So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati.

So he delights in that, desires it, and attains satisfaction through it.

Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno, kālaṁ kurumāno subhakiṇhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

Standing there, devoted to it, frequently dwelling in it, not falling away, when he dies, he is reborn in the company of the Subhakiṇha gods.

Subhakiṇhānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ cattāro kappā āyuppamāṇaṁ.

The lifespan of the Subhakiṇha gods is four eons.

Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.

There, an ordinary person, having stayed for the full lifespan of those gods, after exhausting that lifespan, can go to hell, the animal realm, or the realm of ghosts.

Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati.

But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed for the full lifespan of those gods, after exhausting that lifespan, attains final Nibbāna in that very existence.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.

This is the distinction, the specific difference, the distinguishing factor between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person, namely, in terms of their destination and rebirth.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Again here a certain person, having abandoned both pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is beyond pleasure and pain, and purified by equanimity and mindfulness.

So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati.

He delights in that, desires it, and attains satisfaction through it.

Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno vehapphalānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

Standing there, devoted to it, frequently dwelling in it, not falling away, when he dies, he is reborn in the company of the Vehapphala gods.

Vehapphalānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ pañca kappasatāni āyuppamāṇaṁ.

The lifespan of the Vehapphala gods is five hundred eons.

Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.

There, an ordinary person, having stayed for the full lifespan of those gods, after exhausting that lifespan, can go to hell, the animal realm, or the realm of ghosts.

Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati.

But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed for the full lifespan of those gods, after exhausting that lifespan, attains final Nibbāna in that very existence.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.

This is the distinction, the specific difference, the distinguishing factor between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person, namely, in terms of their destination and rebirth.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti. Tatiyaṁ.

These are the four types of persons existing in the world.