The Universe may implode, but
the Stream-Winner is Safe! Once in
Savatthi the Blessed
Buddha said this:
Bhikkhus, those for whom you have sympathy & who you think should be
respected, whether friends or colleagues, relatives or associates, these you should try
to explain, convince, and establish in these
four factors of
stream-entry. What four? You should explain, convince, & establish
them in Faith
in the Three Jewels
thus: Worthy, honourable & perfectly
self-Enlightened is the
Buddha!
Consummated in... Perfectly formulated is the
Dhamma,
visible right here & now, immediately effective...
Perfectly training is this
Noble
Sangha
community of the Buddha's Noble disciples...
You should explain, convince, & establish
them in the saving purity of Morality thus:
Any
Noble possesses the
Morality
esteemed by the Noble ones: Unbroken, pure... untorn, unspotted, freeing, praised by the clever, natural, leading to
concentration.
Why? Bhikkhus, there may be alteration in these four great elements: In the earth
element; all solidity, in the water element; all fluidity, in the heat element; all
thermal vibration, in the air element; all motion, but there cannot be alteration in the
Noble Disciple who possesses confirmed confidence
in the Three Jewels. It
always remains impossible that such Noble Disciple should be reborn in hell, as animal, angry demon or
as ghost! Therefore: Those for whom you have sympathy & who you think should be
respected, whether friends or colleagues, relatives or associates, these you should try
to explain, convince, and establish in these
four factors of
stream-entry...
Source
(edited extract): The
Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta
Nikāya. [V:365-6]
section 55:
Sotāpattisamyutta.
Thread 17: Friends and Colleagues 2...
Faith is the
Seed, the Initiator, the Source of the
Beginning. Faith is
the Hand that takes up all the advantageous
states. Faith is
the Wealth above all, since it brings real
Happiness. Faith is
the Jump, since it enables beings to cross
the flood. Faith is
the Purifier, since it clears contaminating
defilements.