The Buddha said this:

“It’s when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha … That’s how a mendicant is accomplished in ethics. … Seeing that the hindrances have been given up in them, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed.

They meditate spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

Suppose there was a powerful horn blower. They’d easily make themselves heard in the four directions. In the same way, when the heart’s release by love has been developed and cultivated like this, any limited deeds they’ve done don’t remain or persist there. This is a path to companionship with Brahmā.

Furthermore, a mendicant meditates spreading a heart full of compassion …

They meditate spreading a heart full of rejoicing …

They meditate spreading a heart full of equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

Suppose there was a powerful horn blower. They’d easily make themselves heard in the four directions. In the same way, when the heart’s release by equanimity has been developed and cultivated like this, any limited deeds they’ve done don’t remain or persist there. This too is a path to companionship with Brahmā.

What do you think, Vāseṭṭha? When a mendicant meditates like this, are they possessive or not?”

“They are not.”

“Is their heart full of enmity or not?”

“It is not.”

“Is their heart full of ill will or not?”

“It is not.”

“Is their heart corrupted or not?”

“It is not.”

“Do they wield power or not?”

“They do.”

“So it seems that that mendicant is not possessive, and neither is Brahmā. Would a mendicant who is not possessive come together and converge with Brahmā, who isn’t possessive?”

“Yes, Master Gotama.”

“Good, Vāseṭṭha! It’s possible that a mendicant who is not possessive will, when the body breaks up, after death, be reborn in the company of Brahmā, who isn’t possessive.

And it seems that that mendicant has no enmity, ill will, corruption, and does wield power, while Brahmā is the same in all these things. Would a mendicant who is the same as Brahmā in all things come together and converge with him?”

“Yes, Master Gotama.”

“Good, Vāseṭṭha! It’s possible that that mendicant will, when the body breaks up, after death, be reborn in the company of Brahmā.”

When he had spoken, Vāseṭṭha and Bhāradvāja said to him, “Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes can see what’s there, Master Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. We go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life.”