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- Anguttara Nikaya IV.125
- Puggala Sutta
- Persons
- (excerpt)
- Translated from the Pali by Ñanamoli Thera
- For free distribution only,
by arrangement with the Buddhist Publication Society
From The Practice of
Loving-kindness (Metta) (WH 7), by Ñanamoli Thera, (Kandy: Buddhist Publication
Society, 1987).
...
"Here, bhikkhus, a certain person abides with his heart imbued with
loving-kindness extending over one quarter, likewise the second quarter, likewise the
third quarter, likewise the fourth quarter, and so above, below, around, and everywhere,
and to all as to himself; he abides with his heart abundant, exalted, measureless in
loving-kindness, without hostility or ill-will, extending over the all-encompassing world.
"He finds gratification in that, finds it desirable and looks to it for his
well-being; steady and resolute thereon, he abides much in it, and if he dies without
losing it, he reappears among the gods of a High Divinity's retinue.
"Now the gods of a High Divinity's retinue have a life-span of one aeon. An
ordinary person [who has not attained the Noble Eightfold Path] stays there for his
life-span; but after he has used up the whole life-span enjoyed by those gods, he leaves
it all, and [according to what his past deeds may have been] he may go down even to hell,
or to an animal womb, or to the ghost realm. But one who has given ear to the Perfect One
stays there [in that heaven] for his life-span, and after that he has used up the whole
life span enjoyed by those gods, he eventually attains complete extinction of lust, hate
and delusion in that same kind of heavenly existence.
"It is this that distinguishes, that differentiates, the wise hearer who is
ennobled [by attainment of the Noble Path] from the unwise ordinary man, when, that is to
say, there is a destination for reappearance [after death, but an Arahant has made an end
of birth].
"..."