The Long Āgama Sūtra 3.70

3.70

「般遮翼！彼大典尊弟子，皆無疑出家，有果報，有教誡，然非究竟道，不能使得究竟梵行，不能使至安隱之處。其道勝者，極至梵天爾。今我為弟子說法，則能使其得究竟道、究竟梵行、究竟安隱，終歸涅槃。我所說法弟子受行者，捨有漏成無漏，心解脫、慧解脫。於現法中，自身作證：生死已盡，梵行已立，所作已辦，更不受有。其次，行淺者斷五下結，即於天上而般涅槃，不復還此。其次，三結盡，薄婬、怒、癡，一來世間而般涅槃；其次，斷三結，得須陀洹，不墮惡道，極七往返，必得涅槃。般遮翼！我諸弟子不疑出家，有果報，有教誡，究竟道法，究竟梵行，究竟安隱，終歸滅度。」

“Pañcaśikha, that Great Govinda’s disciples left home without doubts, and their rewards and teachings were still not the ultimate path. He couldn’t make them attain the ultimate religious life or reach the abode of peace. The best of them were born as high as the Brahma Heaven.

“In the present, I teach the Dharma for my disciples, and I’m able to make them attain the ultimate path, ultimate religious life, and ultimate peace. They end up in Nirvāṇa. Of those disciples to whom I teach the Dharma and who accept its practice, those who discard the contaminants and become uncontaminated are liberated at heart and liberated in wisdom. In the present life, they themselves realize: ‘Birth and death have been ended, the religious life has been established, and the task has been accomplished. I’m not subject to another existence.’

“Next are those whose practice is shallow and end the five lower bonds. They Parinirvāṇa in the heavens and don’t return here again. Next are those who end the three bonds and weaken lust, hate, and delusion. They’re reborn in the world once and Parinirvāṇa. Next are those who end the three bonds and attain stream entry. They don’t fall to bad destinies and are reborn not more than seven times. They are sure to attain Nirvāṇa.

“Pañcaśikha, my disciples leave home without doubts, and they possess the rewards and teachings of the ultimate path, ultimate religious life, and ultimate peace. They end up at Nirvāṇa.”