This discourse was taught by the Blessed One, taught by the Arahant, the fully enlightened Supreme Buddha. This is as I heard,
“Monks, a person tied by the bond of sense desire and by the bond of existence is a returner, one who returns to this sense-world.
Monks, a person freed from the bond of sense desire but still bound by the bond of existence is a non-returner, one who does not return to this sense-world.
Monks, a person freed from the bond of sense desire and freed from the bond of existence is a liberated one whose taints have been destroyed.”
This is the meaning of what the Blessed One said. So, with regard to this, it was said:
Tied by the bond of sense desire and the bond of existence, beings continue in the cycle of birth and death.
Those who have abandoned sense desire but have not destroyed the taints are tied by the bond of existence and are said to be non-returners.
But those who have cut off the cycle of rebirths have destroyed conceit and future existence. They have destroyed the taints and crossed over the whole world.
This, too, is the meaning of what was said by the Blessed One. This is exactly as I heard.
