Numbered Discourses 4.90

9. Confirmed

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“Bhikkhus, these four people are found in the world. What four? The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the exquisite ascetic of ascetics.

And how is a person a confirmed ascetic? It’s when a bhikkhu is a trainee who hasn’t achieved their heart’s desire, but lives aspiring to the supreme sanctuary from the yoke. That’s how a person is a confirmed ascetic.

And how is a person a white lotus ascetic? It’s when a bhikkhu meditates observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates. ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form. Such is feeling … Such is perception … Such are choices … Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’ But they don’t have direct meditative experience of the eight liberations. That’s how a person is a white lotus ascetic.

And how is a person a pink lotus ascetic? It’s when a bhikkhu meditates observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates. ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form. Such is feeling … Such is perception … Such are choices … Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’ And they have direct meditative experience of the eight liberations. That’s how a person is a pink lotus ascetic.

And how is a person an exquisite ascetic of ascetics? It’s when a bhikkhu usually uses only what they’ve been invited to accept … And if anyone should be rightly called an exquisite ascetic of ascetics, it’s me.

These are the four people found in the world.”