[619] Having abandoned the destruction of life, he abstains from the destruction of life; having abandoned taking what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given; having abandoned sexual misconduct, he abstains from sexual misconduct; having abandoned false speech, he abstains from false speech; having abandoned divisive speech, he abstains from divisive speech; having abandoned harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech; having abandoned idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter; having abandoned covetousness (abhijjhā), he is without covetousness; having abandoned the malevolence of ill will (byāpāda), his mind (citta) is free from ill will; having abandoned wrong view, he is one of right view.
That noble disciple, headman, thus rid of covetousness, rid of ill will, unconfused, clearly comprehending, mindful, dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with loving-kindness (mettā), likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; thus above, below, across, everywhere, to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness — abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without affliction. Just as, headman, a strong conch-blower might make himself known in the four directions without difficulty, even so, headman, when the liberation of mind (cetovimutti) by loving-kindness has been developed thus and cultivated thus, whatever kamma has been done in a measured way does not remain there, does not persist there.
That noble disciple, headman, thus rid of covetousness, rid of ill will, unconfused, clearly comprehending, mindful, dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with compassion … with a mind imbued with altruistic joy … with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; thus above, below, across, everywhere, to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity — abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without affliction. Just as, headman, a strong conch-blower might make himself known in the four directions without difficulty, even so, headman, when the liberation of mind by equanimity has been developed thus and cultivated thus, whatever kamma has been done in a measured way does not remain there, does not persist there.
When this was said, Asibandhakaputta the headman, a disciple of the Nigaṇṭhas, said to the Blessed One: "Excellent, venerable sir! Excellent, venerable sir! … Let the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower (upāsaka) who has gone for refuge for life, from this day forward."
The eighth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.