AN4.123 — First Discourse on Diverse Outcomes
Disciples, there are these four types of individuals existing in the world.
What four?
Here a certain individual, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.
He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it.
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.
The lifespan of the Brahma gods is an eon.
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.
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.
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.
Again here a certain individual, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, with inner tranquility and unification of mind, without applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration, enters and dwells in the second jhāna.
He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it.
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.
The lifespan of the Radiant gods is two eons.
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.
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.
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.
Again here a certain individual, with the fading away of rapture, 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 he delights in that, desires it, and attains satisfaction through it.
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.
The lifespan of the Subhakiṇha gods is four eons.
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.
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.
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.
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.
He delights in that, desires it, and attains satisfaction through it.
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.
The lifespan of the Vehapphala gods is five hundred eons.
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.
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.
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.
These are the four types of persons existing in the world.