1.
The Discourse on the Wheel-Turning Monarch
997.
At Sāvatthī.
There the Blessed One, etc.
said this -
"Although, monks, a wheel-turning monarch, having exercised sovereign lordship over the kingdom of the four continents, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world, in the company of the Thirty-three gods, and there in the Garden of Delight, surrounded by a retinue of celestial nymphs, endowed and furnished with the five kinds of celestial sensual pleasure, he indulges himself, yet not being possessed of four qualities, he is not released from hell, not released from the animal realm, not released from the sphere of ghosts, not released from the realm of misery, the unfortunate realm, the nether world.
Although, monks, a noble disciple sustains himself on morsels of almsfood and wears patched robes, yet being possessed of four qualities, he is released from hell, released from the animal realm, released from the sphere of ghosts, released from the realm of misery, the unfortunate realm, the nether world."
"With which four? Here, monks, a noble disciple is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha: 'Thus indeed is the Blessed One: the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' He is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching: 'Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, visible here and now, immediately effective, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be individually experienced by the wise.' He is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Community: 'The Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising well, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising uprightly, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising by the true method, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising properly, that is - the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals; this Community of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' He is endowed with morality pleasing to the noble ones, unbroken, without gaps, spotless, unblemished, liberating, praised by the wise, not adhered to, conducive to concentration. With these four qualities he is endowed. Whatever, monks, is the acquisition of the four continents, and whatever is the acquisition of the four qualities, the acquisition of the four continents is not worth a sixteenth fraction of the acquisition of the four qualities." The first.