"Bhikkhus, there are these four types of persons found existing in the world. What four?

  1. Here, bhikkhus, a certain person attains final Nibbāna with exertion in this very life.

  2. Here again, bhikkhus, a certain person attains final Nibbāna with exertion after the breakup of the body.

  3. Here again, bhikkhus, a certain person attains final Nibbāna without exertion in this very life.

  4. Here again, bhikkhus, a certain person attains final Nibbāna without exertion after the breakup of the body.

1. And how, bhikkhus, does a person attain final Nibbāna with exertion in this very life?

  1. Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating:

  2. the unattractiveness of the body,

  3. perceiving the unpleasantness of food,

  4. recognizing disenchantment in the entire world,

  5. and observing impermanence in all formations.

Moreover, the perception of death is well established within him.

He lives relying on these five powers of a trainee:

  1. the power of confidence (faith),

  2. the power of moral shame,

  3. the power of moral wrongdoing,

  4. the power of persistence (energy), and

  5. the power of wisdom.

These five spiritual faculties develop in him strongly:

  1. the faculty of confidence (faith),

  2. the faculty of persistence (energy),

  3. the faculty of mindfulness,

  4. the faculty of collectedness (concentration), and

  5. the faculty of wisdom.

Because these five faculties have developed in him strongly, he attains final Nibbāna with exertion in this very life.

2. And how, bhikkhus, does a person attain final Nibbāna with exertion after the breakup of the body?

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating:

  1. the unattractiveness of the body,

  2. perceiving the unpleasantness of food,

  3. recognizing disenchantment in the entire world,

  4. observing impermanence in all formations.

  5. Moreover, the perception of death is well established within him.

He lives relying on these five powers of a trainee:

  1. the power of confidence,

  2. the power of moral shame,

  3. the power of moral wrongdoing,

  4. the power of persistence, and

  5. the power of wisdom.

These five spiritual faculties develop softly in him:

  1. the faculty of confidence,

  2. the faculty of persistence,

  3. the faculty of mindfulness,

  4. the faculty of collectedness, and

  5. the faculty of wisdom.

Because these five faculties have developed softly in him, he attains final Nibbāna with exertion after the breakup of the body. Thus, bhikkhus, a person attains final Nibbāna with exertion after the breakup of the body.

  1. And how, bhikkhus, does a person attain final Nibbāna without exertion in this very life?

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having secluded himself from sensual pleasures and unwholesome mental states, with reflection and examination (of thoughts), born of seclusion, filled with joyful pleasure, enters and dwells in the first jhāna.

With the subsiding of reflection and examination (of thoughts), experiencing internal tranquility and unification of mind, devoid of reflection and examination, born of collectedness and filled with joyful pleasure, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna.

With the fading away of joyful pleasure, he dwells equanimous and mindful, fully aware, and experiences ease (bliss) with the body, which the noble ones describe as ‘one who dwells happily, equanimous, and mindful.’ Thus, he enters and dwells in the third jhāna.

With the abandonment of ease (bliss) and suffering (discontentment, stress), and with the previous disappearance of joy and sorrow, experiencing neither painful nor pleasant sensation, and with the purity of equanimity and mindfulness, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna.

He lives relying on these five powers of a trainee:

  1. the power of confidence,

  2. the power of moral shame,

  3. the power of moral wrongdoing,

  4. the power of persistence, and

  5. the power of wisdom.

These five spiritual faculties develop strongly in him:

  1. the faculty of confidence,

  2. the faculty of persistence,

  3. the faculty of mindfulness,

  4. the faculty of collectedness, and

  5. the faculty of wisdom.

Because these five faculties have developed strongly in him, he attains final Nibbāna without exertion in this very life. Thus, bhikkhus, a person attains final Nibbāna without exertion in this very life.

4. And how, bhikkhus, does a person attain final Nibbāna without exertion after the breakup of the body?

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having secluded himself from sensual pleasures and unwholesome mental states, with reflection and examination (of thoughts), born of seclusion, filled with joyful pleasure, enters and dwells in the first jhāna.

With the subsiding of reflection and examination (of thoughts), experiencing internal tranquility and unification of mind, devoid of reflection and examination, born of collectedness and filled with joyful pleasure, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna.

With the fading away of joyful pleasure, he dwells equanimous and mindful, fully aware, and experiences ease (bliss) with the body, which the noble ones describe as ‘one who dwells happily, equanimous, and mindful.’ Thus, he enters and dwells in the third jhāna.

With the abandonment of ease (bliss) and suffering (discontentment, stress), and with the previous disappearance of joy and sorrow, experiencing neither painful nor pleasant sensations, and with the purity of equanimity and mindfulness, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna.

He lives relying on these five powers of a trainee:

  1. the power of confidence,

  2. the power of moral shame,

  3. the power of moral wrongdoing,

  4. the power of persistence, and

  5. the power of wisdom.

These five spiritual faculties develop softly in him:

  1. the faculty of confidence,

  2. the faculty of persistence,

  3. the faculty of mindfulness,

  4. the faculty of collectedness, and

  5. the faculty of wisdom.

Because these five faculties have developed softly in him, he attains final Nibbāna without exertion after the breakup of the body. Thus, bhikkhus, a person attains final Nibbāna without exertion after the breakup of the body.

These, bhikkhus, are the four types of persons found existing in the world."

In this teaching, the Buddha shares on the correlation of the strength of the development of faculties to whether an individual realizes Nibbāna in this very life or after the breakup of the body (i.e. at death or in a future life).

Related Teachings:

Five Faculties and Way of Practice (SN 48.10, SN 48.18) - A formulation of the five faculties by the Buddha, along with the way of practice in cultivating these.

The Path to Liberation with similes | Five Hindrances, Four Jhānas, Three True Knowledges (MN 39) - This teaching lays out the path to liberation with a series of visual similes.