8.
The Discourse on Mental Fetters
88.
"Monks, there are these four persons found existing in the world.
Which four?
The unshakeable ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the lotus ascetic, the delicate ascetic among ascetics.
"And how, monks, is a person an unshakeable ascetic? Here, monks, a monk, with the utter elimination of the three mental fetters, becomes a stream-enterer, no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment. Thus, monks, a person is an unshakeable ascetic.
"And how, monks, is a person a white lotus ascetic? Here, monks, a monk, with the utter elimination of the three mental fetters and with the reduction of lust, hate, and delusion, becomes a once-returner, who, having come to this world only once more, makes an end of suffering. Thus, monks, a person is a white lotus ascetic.
"And how, monks, is a person a lotus ascetic? Here, monks, a monk, with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters, becomes one of spontaneous birth, attaining final nibbāna there, not subject to return from that world. Thus, monks, a person is a lotus ascetic.
"And how, monks, is a person a delicate ascetic among ascetics? Here, monks, a monk, through the elimination of the mental corruptions, realised by his own direct knowledge, in this very life, the liberation of mind and the liberation by wisdom that are free from mental corruptions and, having entered upon them, dwells in them. Thus, monks, a person is a delicate ascetic among ascetics. These, monks, are the four persons found existing in the world." The eighth.