The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [271]
11. “Here a bhikkhu hears thus: ‘The bhikkhu named so-and-so has died; the Blessed One has declared of him: “With the destruction of the five lower fetters he has reappeared spontaneously [in the Pure Abodes] and there will attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.”’ And he has either seen that venerable one for himself…he directs his mind to such a state. In this way too a bhikkhu has a comfortable abiding.
12. “Here a bhikkhu hears thus: ‘The bhikkhu named so-and-so has died; the Blessed One has declared of him: “With the destruction of three fetters and with the attenuation of lust, hate, and delusion, he has become a once-returner, returning once to this world to make an end of suffering.”’ And he has either seen that venerable one for himself…[466] he directs his mind to such a state. In this way too a bhikkhu has a comfortable abiding.
13. “Here a bhikkhu hears thus: ‘The bhikkhu named so-and-so has died; the Blessed One has declared of him: “With the destruction of three fetters he has become a stream-enterer, no longer subject to perdition, bound [for deliverance], headed for enlightenment.”’ And he has either seen that venerable one for himself…he directs his mind to such a state. In this way too a bhikkhu has a comfortable abiding.
14. “Here a bhikkhunī hears thus: ‘The bhikkhunī named so-and-so has died; the Blessed One has declared of her: “She was established in final knowledge.”’ And she has either seen that sister for herself or heard it said of her: ‘That sister’s virtue was thus, her state [of concentration] was thus, her wisdom was thus, her abiding [in attainments] was thus, her deliverance was thus.’ Recollecting her faith, virtue, learning, generosity, and wisdom, she directs her mind to such a state. In this way a bhikkhunī has a comfortable abiding.
15. “Here a bhikkhunī hears thus: ‘The bhikkhunī named so-and-so has died; the Blessed One has declared of her: “With the destruction of the five lower fetters she has reappeared spontaneously [in the Pure Abodes] and will there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.”…
16. “‘He has declared of her: “With the destruction of three fetters and with the attenuation of lust, hate, and delusion, she has become a once-returner, returning once to this world to make an end of suffering.”…
17. “‘He has declared of her: “With the destruction of three fetters she has become a stream-enterer, no longer subject to perdition, bound [for deliverance], headed for enlightenment.”’ [467] And she has either seen that sister for herself…she directs her mind to such a state. In this way too a bhikkhunī has a comfortable abiding.
18. “Here a man lay follower hears thus: ‘The man lay follower named so-and-so has died; the Blessed One has declared of him: “With the destruction of the five lower fetters he has reappeared spontaneously [in the Pure Abodes] and will there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.”…
19. “‘He has declared of him: “With the destruction of three fetters and with the attenuation of lust, hate, and delusion, he has become a once-returner, returning once to this world to make an end of suffering.”…
20. “‘He has declared of him: “With the destruction of three fetters he has become a stream-enterer, no longer subject to perdition, bound [for deliverance], headed for enlightenment.”’ And he has either seen that venerable one for himself or heard it said of him: ‘That venerable one’s virtue was thus, his state [of concentration] was thus, his wisdom was thus, his abiding [in attainments]