[95] Bhikkhus, these four persons are found existing in the world. Which four? One who practices neither for his own welfare nor for the welfare of others; one who practices for the welfare of others but not for his own welfare; one who practices for his own welfare but not for the welfare of others; and one who practices both for his own welfare and for the welfare of others.
Just as, bhikkhus, a firebrand from a funeral pyre (chavālāta), blazing at both ends and smeared with dung in the middle, serves as timber neither in the village nor in the forest — just so, bhikkhus, do I declare this person to be: the person who practices neither for his own welfare nor for the welfare of others.
Therein, bhikkhus, the person who practices for the welfare of others but not for his own welfare is the more excellent and the more sublime of these two persons. Therein, bhikkhus, the person who practices for his own welfare but not for the welfare of others is the more excellent and the more sublime of these three persons. Therein, bhikkhus, the person who practices both for his own welfare and for the welfare of others is, of these four persons, the foremost, the best, the pre-eminent, the supreme, and the finest.
Just as, bhikkhus, from a cow comes milk, from milk curd, from curd butter, from butter ghee, and from ghee the cream of ghee, and the cream of ghee is declared the best of these — even so, bhikkhus, the person who practices both for his own welfare and for the welfare of others is, of these four persons, the foremost, the best, the pre-eminent, the supreme, and the finest.
These, bhikkhus, are the four persons found existing in the world.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.