Better than sovereignty over the earth, or going to heaven, or dominion over all worlds, is the fruit of stream-entry.

Pathavyā ekarajjena — sovereignty over all the earth: total political dominion, universal empire — the greatest possible achievement in worldly terms.

Saggassa gamanena — or going to heaven: the greatest conventional religious aspiration — being reborn in a heavenly realm of prolonged well-being.

Sabbalokādhipaccena — or dominion over all worlds: beyond earth and heaven: lordship over all planes of existence. A cosmic ambition.

Sotāpattiphalaṃ varaṃ — the fruit of stream-entry is better: sotāpatti is “entering the stream” — the first moment of direct comprehension of the Dhamma, the first stage of awakening. This apparently modest achievement surpasses in value all the above because it is irreversible and inevitably leads to complete liberation. The conclusion of the vagga on the world with this verse reorients all ambition: from world dominion to the first step of awakening.