“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 mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā 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.
Here, bhikkhus, a certain person abides pervading one direction with a mind imbued with |loving-kindness::goodwill towards, friendliness to, benevolence for [mettā]|, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, encompassing all living beings, he abides pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, expansive, exalted, immeasurable, without hatred and free of affliction. 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 karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe… muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe… upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā 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 …pe… subhakiṇhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Subhakiṇhānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ cattāro kappā āyuppamāṇaṁ …pe… 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.
Again, bhikkhus, here a certain person abides pervading one direction with a mind imbued with |compassion::mental quality of wise empathy in response to suffering, which counters qualities of harm or cruelty [karuṇā]|, with |appreciative joy::mental quality of rejoicing in the success and happiness of others, which counters envy [muditā]|, with |equanimity::mental poise, mental balance, equipoise, non-reactivity, composure [upekkhā]|, pervading one direction, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, encompassing all living beings, he abides pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, expansive, exalted, immeasurable, without hatred and free of affliction. 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. Or 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. Or 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.”