“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? The confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the delicate ascetic of ascetics.
And how is an individual a confirmed ascetic? It’s when a mendicant—with the ending of three fetters—is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening. That’s how an individual is a confirmed ascetic.
And how is an individual a white lotus ascetic? It’s when a mendicant—with the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion—is a once-returner. They come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering. That’s how an individual is a white lotus ascetic.
And how is an individual a pink lotus ascetic? It’s when a mendicant—with the ending of the five lower fetters—is reborn spontaneously. They’re extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. That’s how an individual is a pink lotus ascetic.
And how is an individual a delicate ascetic of ascetics? It’s when a mendicant realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. That’s how an individual is a delicate ascetic of ascetics.
These are the four individuals found in the world.”