“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati. Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Brahmakāyikānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ kappo āyuppamāṇaṁ. Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati. Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.
1.) Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, quite secluded from sensual pleasures and |unwholesome::unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, or karmically unprofitable [akusala]| mental states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is |accompanied by reflection::with thinking [savitakka]| and |examination::with investigation, evaluation [savicāra]|, |born of seclusion::secluded from the defilements [vivekaja]|, and |imbued with joyful pleasure::imbued with joy and happiness, with delight and ease, sometimes experienced as an intense joy or pleasure, rapture [pītisukha]|. He |relishes it::takes pleasure in that [tadassādeti]|, |desires::craves, longs for [nikāmeti]| it, and experiences |pleasure::happiness, lit. gain [vitti]| in it. If he remains firm in it, intent upon it, dwelling frequently in it, and if he has not fallen away from that state at the time of death, he is reborn in the company of the gods of the |Brahma::God, the first deity to be born at the beginning of a new cosmic cycle and whose lifespan lasts for the entire cycle [brahmā]|’s assembly. The lifespan of the gods of the Brahma’s assembly is an |aeon::lifespan of a world system, a vast cosmic time span [kappa]|. There, an ordinary person, having lived his full lifespan, when that life is exhausted, may go even to hell, to the animal realm, or to the realm of ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having lived his full lifespan there, when that life is exhausted, attains |final Nibbāna::complete cooling, full quenching, total emancipation, dying one’s final death [parinibbuta]| in that very existence. This, bhikkhus, is the distinction, the disparity, and the difference between a learned disciple of the Noble Ones and an uninstructed ordinary person, that is, when there is a future |destination::going, passing on, path, course [gati]| and rebirth [that can be pointed out].
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati. Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno ābhassarānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Ābhassarānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ dve kappā āyuppamāṇaṁ. Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati. Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.
2.) Again, bhikkhus, here a certain person, with the |settling::calming, conciliation, subsiding [vūpasama]| of reflection and examination, the bhikkhu enters and dwells in the second jhāna, characterized by internal |tranquility::calming, settling, confidence [sampasādana]| and |unification::singleness, integration [ekodibhāva]| of mind, free from reflection and examination, |born of collectedness::born from a stable mind [samādhija]|, and imbued with joyful pleasure. He relishes it, desires it, and experiences pleasure in it. If he remains firm in it, intent upon it, dwelling frequently in it, and if he has not fallen away from that state at the time of death, he is reborn in the company of the |gods of Streaming Radiance::MA: By mentioning these, all beings occupying the plane of the second jhāna — the gods of Limited Radiance and the gods of Immeasurable Radiance — should be included, for all these occupy a single level [ābhassara + devā]|. The lifespan of the gods of Streaming Radiance is two aeons. There, an ordinary person, having lived his full lifespan, when that life is exhausted, may go even to hell, to the animal realm, or to the realm of ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having lived his full lifespan there, when that life is exhausted, attains final Nibbāna in that very existence. This, bhikkhus, is the distinction, the disparity, and the difference between a learned disciple of the Noble Ones and an uninstructed ordinary person, that is, when there is a future destination and rebirth [that can be pointed out].
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. So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati. Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno, kālaṁ kurumāno subhakiṇhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Subhakiṇhānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ cattāro kappā āyuppamāṇaṁ. Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati. Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.
3.) Again, bhikkhus, here a certain person, with the fading away of joyful pleasure, the bhikkhu dwells |equanimous::mental poised, mentally balanced, equanimous, non-reactive, disregarding [upekkhaka]|, |mindful and fully aware::attentive and completely comprehending [sata + sampajāna]|, experiencing |pleasure::comfort, contentedness, happiness, ease [sukha]| with the body. He enters and dwells in the third jhāna, which the Noble Ones describe as, ‘one who dwells equanimous, mindful, and at ease.’ He relishes it, desires it, and experiences pleasure in it. If he remains firm in it, intent upon it, dwelling frequently in it, and if he has not fallen away from that state at the time of death, he is reborn in the company of the |gods of Refulgent Glory::MA: By mentioning these, all beings occupying the plane of the third jhāna — the gods of Limited Glory and the gods of Immeasurable Glory — should be included [subhakiṇha + devā]|. The lifespan of the gods of Refulgent Glory is four aeons. There, an ordinary person, having lived his full lifespan, when that life is exhausted, may go even to hell, to the animal realm, or to the realm of ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having lived his full lifespan there, when that life is exhausted, attains final Nibbāna in that very existence. This, bhikkhus, is the distinction, the disparity, and the difference between a learned disciple of the Noble Ones and an uninstructed ordinary person, that is, when there is a future destination and rebirth [that can be pointed out].
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati. Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno vehapphalānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Vehapphalānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ pañca kappasatāni āyuppamāṇaṁ. Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati. Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.
4.) Again, bhikkhus, here a certain person, with the abandoning of pleasure and |discontentment::discomfort, unpleasantness, something unsatisfactory, stress [dukkha]|, and with the settling down of |joy and sorrow::craving and aversion, pleasure and displeasure, satisfaction and dissatisfaction, gladness and dejection, positive state of mind and negative state of mind [somanassadomanassa]|, the bhikkhu enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is characterized by purification of |mindfulness::recollection of the body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly with sustained attention, free from craving and distress [sati]| through |equanimity::mental poise, mental balance, equipoise, non-reactivity, composure [upekkhā]|, experiencing a feeling which is neither-painful-nor-pleasant. If he remains firm in it, intent upon it, dwelling frequently in it, and if he has not fallen away from that state at the time of death, he is reborn in the company of the |gods of Great Fruit::These are divinities on the plane of the fourth jhāna [vehapphala + devā]|. The lifespan of the gods of Great Fruit is one hundred aeons. There, an ordinary person, having lived his full lifespan, when that life is exhausted, may go even to hell, to the animal realm, or to the realm of ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having lived his full lifespan there, when that life is exhausted, attains final Nibbāna in that very existence. This, bhikkhus, is the distinction, the disparity, and the difference between a learned disciple of the Noble Ones and an uninstructed ordinary person, that is, when there is a future destination and rebirth [that can be pointed out].
Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.
These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons found existing in the world.”