長阿含經 3.70

3.70

“Pañcaśikha! Those disciples of Mahāgovinda all went forth without doubt, having their fruit and retribution, having their admonitions; yet it was not the ultimate path, unable to cause them to attain the ultimate brahmacarya, and unable to cause them to reach the place of secure peace. The superior among their paths reached at most the Brahmā heaven.
“Now, when I teach the Dharma for my disciples, I am able to cause them to attain the ultimate path, the ultimate brahmacarya, and ultimate secure peace, culminating in nirvāṇa. When my disciples accept and practice the Dharma I teach, they abandon the defiled and realize the undefiled, achieving liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom. In the present life, they personally realize and witness: ‘Birth and death are exhausted, the brahmacarya has been established, what was to be done has been done, and there will be no further rebirth.’
“Next, those whose practice is shallow sever the five lower fetters and attain parinirvāṇa right there in heaven, never returning to this world. Next, those who exhaust the three fetters and attenuate lust, anger, and delusion return once to this world and attain parinirvāṇa. Next, those who sever the three fetters attain the fruit of srotāpanna, do not fall into the evil destinies, and after seven rebirths at most are certain to attain nirvāṇa.
“Pañcaśikha! My disciples go forth without doubt, having their fruit and retribution, having their admonitions, possessing the ultimate Dharma of the path, the ultimate brahmacarya, and ultimate secure peace, culminating in cessation.”