At Sāvatthi.

There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, "Bhikkhus."

"Venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:

"Bhikkhus, even if a Wheel-Turning Monarch, having ruled the four continents, after the break-up of the body, upon death, is reborn in a good destination, in the heavenly world, in companionship with the deities of the Thirty-three, where he enjoys himself in the Nandana Grove surrounded by a group of celestial nymphs, delighting in the five kinds of heavenly sensual pleasures, yet, if he is not endowed with four qualities, he is still not freed from hell, not freed from the animal realm, not freed from the ghost realm, and not freed from the states of misery, bad destinations, and the lower realms.

On the other hand, bhikkhus, even if a disciple of the noble ones lives off alms food, wears ragged robes, and is endowed with four qualities, he is freed from hell, freed from the animal realm, freed from the domain of ghosts, and freed from the states of misery, bad destinations, and the lower realms.

What four? Here, bhikkhus, a disciple of the noble ones is endowed with experiential confidence in the Buddha: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is the Worthy One, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in wisdom and conduct, well-gone, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be trained, teacher of gods and humans, enlightened, blessed.'

He is endowed with experiential confidence in the teachings of the Buddha: 'Indeed, the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting verification, leading onward, to be personally experienced by the wise.'

He is endowed with experiential confidence in the Sangha: 'Indeed, the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing the good way, practicing the upright way, practicing the knowledgeable way, practicing the proper way; these are the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals - this Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.'

He is endowed with beloved noble virtues, unbroken, unblemished, unspotted, untarnished, leading to collectedness.

Thus, he is endowed with these four qualities.

Bhikkhus, the acquisition of the four continents cannot equal even a sixteenth part of the acquisition of these four qualities.