[515] Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. As the Venerable Ānanda was sitting to one side, the Blessed One said this to him: "Ānanda, those for whom you would have compassion, and those who would think you worth listening to—whether friends or colleagues, relatives or blood relations—should be encouraged by you, Ānanda, settled, and established in three things. In which three?
"They should be encouraged, settled, and established in unwavering confidence (aveccappasāda) in the Buddha thus: 'Such indeed is that Blessed One: an arahant, fully self-enlightened, perfect in true knowledge (vijjā) and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, incomparable leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and human beings, enlightened, blessed.'
"They should be encouraged, settled, and established in unwavering confidence in the Dhamma thus: 'Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Dhamma, to be seen for oneself, timeless, inviting one to come and see, onward-leading, to be known individually by the wise.'
"They should be encouraged, settled, and established in unwavering confidence in the Saṅgha thus: 'Of good conduct is the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples; of upright conduct is the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples; of right conduct is the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples; of proper conduct is the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples—that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight individual persons; this Saṅgha 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.'
"There might be, Ānanda, alteration (aññathatta) in the four great elements (mahābhūta)—in the earth element (dhātu), the water element, the fire element, the wind element—but there could be no alteration in a noble disciple endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha. Herein this is 'alteration': that a noble disciple endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha should be reborn in hell, in the animal realm, or in the sphere of ghosts—this is impossible. There might be, Ānanda, alteration in the four great elements—in the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element—but there could be no alteration in a noble disciple endowed with unwavering confidence in the Dhamma … but there could be no alteration in a noble disciple endowed with unwavering confidence in the Saṅgha. Herein this is 'alteration': that a noble disciple endowed with unwavering confidence in the Saṅgha should be reborn in hell, in the animal realm, or in the sphere of ghosts—this is impossible.
"Ānanda, those for whom you would have compassion, and those who would think you worth listening to—whether friends or colleagues, relatives or blood relations—should be encouraged by you, Ānanda, settled, and established in these three things."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.