On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus!”
“Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of clouds. What four? The one that thunders but does not rain; the one that rains but does not thunder; the one that neither thunders nor rains; and the one that both thunders and rains. These are the four kinds of clouds. So too, there are these four kinds of persons similar to clouds found existing in the world. What four? The one who thunders but does not rain; the one who rains but does not thunder; the one who neither thunders nor rains; and the one who both thunders and rains.
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person one who thunders but does not rain? Here, someone is a talker, not a doer. It is in this way that a person is one who thunders but does not rain. So, I say, this person is just like a cloud that thunders but does not rain.
(2) “And how is a person one who rains but does not thunder? Here, someone is a doer, not a talker. It is in this way that a person is one who rains but does not thunder. So, I say, this person is just like a cloud that rains but does not thunder.
(3) “And how is a person one who neither thunders nor rains? Here, someone is neither a talker nor a doer. It is in this way that a person is one who neither thunders nor rains. So, I say, this person is just like a cloud that neither thunders nor rains.
(4) “And how is a person one who both thunders and rains? Here, someone is both a talker and a doer. It is in this way that a person is one who both thunders and rains. So, I say, this person is just like a cloud that both thunders and rains.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons similar to clouds found existing in the world.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of clouds. What four? ... [as above] ...
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person one who thunders but does not rain? Here, someone masters the Dhamma — the discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, quotations, birth stories, amazing accounts, and questions-and-answers — but he does not understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is one who thunders but does not rain. So, I say, this person is just like a cloud that thunders but does not rain.
(2) “And how is a person one who rains but does not thunder? Here, someone does not master the Dhamma — the discourses ... questions-and-answers — but he understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ ... ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is one who rains but does not thunder. So, I say, this person is just like a cloud that rains but does not thunder.
(3) “And how is a person one who neither thunders nor rains? Here, someone does not master the Dhamma — the discourses ... questions-and-answers — and he does not understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ ... ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is one who neither thunders nor rains. So, I say, this person is just like a cloud that neither thunders nor rains.
(4) “And how is a person one who both thunders and rains? Here, someone masters the Dhamma — the discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, quotations, birth stories, amazing accounts, and questions-andanswers — and he understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is one who both thunders and rains. So, I say, this person is just like a cloud that both thunders and rains.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons similar to clouds found existing in the world.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of pots. What four? The one that is empty and covered; the one that is full and open; the one that is empty and open; and the one that is full and covered. These are the four kinds of pots. So too, there are these four kinds of persons similar to pots found existing in the world. What four? The one who is empty and covered; the one who is full and open; the one who is empty and open; and the one who is full and covered.
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person empty and covered? Here, someone inspires confidence by his manner of going forward and returning, looking ahead and looking aside, drawing in and extending the limbs, wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl; but he does not understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is empty and covered. So, I say, this person is just like a pot that is empty and covered.
(2) “And how is a person full and open? Here, someone does not inspire confidence by his manner of going forward and returning ... and carrying his outer robe and bowl; but he understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ ... ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is full and open. So, I say, this person is just like a pot that is full and open.
(3) “And how is a person empty and open? Here, someone does not inspire confidence by his manner of going forward and returning ... and carrying his outer robe and bowl; and he does not understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ ... ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is empty and open. So, I say, this person is just like a pot that is empty and open.
(4) “And how is a person full and covered? Here, someone inspires confidence by his manner of going forward and returning, looking ahead and looking aside, drawing in and extending the limbs, wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl; and he understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is full and covered. So, I say, this person is just like a pot that is full and covered.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons similar to pots found existing in the world.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of pools of water. What four? The one that is shallow but appears to be deep; the one that is deep but appears to be shallow; the one that is shallow and appears to be shallow; and the one that is deep and appears to be deep. These are the four kinds of pools of water. So too, there are these four kinds of persons similar to pools of water found existing in the world. What four? The one who is shallow but appears to be deep; the one who is deep but appears to be shallow; the one who is shallow and appears to be shallow; and the one who is deep and appears to be deep.
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person one who is shallow but appears to be deep? Here, someone inspires confidence by his manner of going forward and returning, looking ahead and looking aside, drawing in and extending the limbs, wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl; but he does not understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is shallow but appears to be deep. So, I say, this person is just like a pool of water that is shallow but appears to be deep.
(2) “And how is a person one who is deep but appears to be shallow? Here, someone does not inspire confidence by his manner of going forward and returning ... and carrying his outer robe and bowl; but he understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ ... ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is deep but appears to be shallow. So, I say, this person is just like a pool of water that is deep but appears to be shallow.
(3) “And how is a person one who is shallow and appears to be shallow? Here, someone does not inspire confidence by his manner of going forward and returning ... and carrying his outer robe and bowl; and he does not understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ ... ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is shallow and appears to be shallow. So, I say, this person is just like a pool of water that is shallow and appears to be shallow.
(4) “And how is a person one who is deep and appears to be deep? Here, someone inspires confidence by his manner of going forward and returning, looking ahead and looking aside, drawing in and extending the limbs, wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl; and he understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is deep and appears to be deep. So, I say, this person is just like a pool of water that is deep and appears to be deep.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons similar to pools of water found existing in the world.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of mangoes. What four? The one that is unripe but appears ripe; the one that is ripe but appears unripe; the one that is unripe and appears unripe; and the one that is ripe and appears ripe. These are the four kinds of mangoes. So too, there are these four kinds of persons similar to mangoes found existing in the world. What four? The one who is unripe but appears ripe; the one who is ripe but appears unripe; the one who is unripe and appears unripe; and the one who is ripe and appears ripe.
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person one who is unripe but appears to be ripe? Here, someone inspires confidence by his manner of going forward and returning, looking ahead and looking aside, drawing in and extending the limbs, wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl; but he does not understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is unripe but appears to be ripe. So, I say, this person is just like a mango that is unripe but appears to be ripe.
(2) “And how is a person one who is ripe but appears to be unripe? Here, someone does not inspire confidence by his manner of going forward and returning ... and carrying his outer robe and bowl; but he understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ ... ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is ripe but appears to be unripe. So, I say, this person is just like a mango that is ripe but appears to be unripe.
(3) “And how is a person one who is unripe and appears to be unripe? Here, someone does not inspire confidence by his manner of going forward and returning ... and carrying his outer robe and bowl; and he does not understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ ... ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is unripe and appears to be unripe. So, I say, this person is just like a mango that is unripe and appears to be unripe.
(4) “And how is a person one who is ripe and appears to be ripe? Here, someone inspires confidence by his manner of going forward and returning, looking ahead and looking aside, drawing in and extending the limbs, wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl; and he understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is ripe and appears to be ripe. So, I say, this person is just like a mango that is ripe and appears to be ripe.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons similar to mangoes found existing in the world.”
[No text of this sutta occurs in any edition. The uddāna verse at the end of the vagga says: dve honti ambāni, “there are two [on] mangoes,” which is apparently why Be assigns the title. Mp says only, “The sixth is clear.” Both Ce and Be, referring to this comment, have a note: “The commentary says, ‘The sixth is clear,’ but it is not found in the canonical text.”]
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of mice. What four? The one that makes a hole but does not live in it; the one that lives in a hole but does not make one; the one that neither makes a hole nor lives in one; and the one that both makes a hole and lives in it. These are the four kinds of mice. So too, there are these four kinds of persons similar to mice found existing in the world. What four? The one who makes a hole but does not live in it; the one who lives in a hole but does not make one; the one who neither makes a hole nor lives in one; and the one who both makes a hole and lives in it.
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person one who makes a hole but does not live in it? Here, someone masters the Dhamma — the discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, quotations, birth stories, amazing accounts, and questions-and-answers — but he does not understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is one who makes a hole but does not live in it. So, I say, this person is just like a mouse that makes a hole but does not live in it.
(2) “And how is a person one who lives in a hole but does not make one? Here, someone does not master the Dhamma — the discourses ... questions-and-answers — but he understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ ... ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is one who lives in a hole but does not make one. So, I say, this person is just like a mouse that lives in a hole but does not make one.
(3) “And how is a person one who neither makes a hole nor lives in one? Here, someone does not master the Dhamma — the discourses ... questions-and-answers — and he does not understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ ... ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is one who neither makes a hole nor lives in one. So, I say, this person is just like a mouse that neither makes a hole nor lives in one.
(4) “And how is a person one who both makes a hole and lives in it? Here, someone masters the Dhamma — the discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, quotations, birth stories, amazing accounts, and questions-andanswers — and he understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a person is one who both makes a hole and lives in it. So, I say, this person is just like a mouse that both makes a hole and lives in it.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons similar to mice found existing in the world.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of bulls. What four? The one wrathful toward its own cattle, not toward the cattle of others; the one wrathful toward the cattle of others, not toward its own cattle; the one wrathful both toward its own cattle and toward the cattle of others; and the one wrathful neither toward its own cattle nor toward the cattle of others. These are the four kinds of bulls. So too, there are these four kinds of persons similar to bulls found existing in the world. What four? The one wrathful toward his own cattle, not toward the cattle of others; the one wrathful toward the cattle of others, not toward his own cattle; the one wrathful both toward his own cattle and toward the cattle of others; and the one wrathful neither toward his own cattle nor toward the cattle of others.
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person wrathful toward his own cattle, not toward the cattle of others? Here, someone intimidates his own retinue but not the retinues of others. It is in this way that a person is wrathful toward his own cattle, not toward the cattle of others. So, I say, this person is just like a bull wrathful toward its own cattle, not toward the cattle of others.
(2) “And how is a person wrathful toward the cattle of others, not toward his own cattle? Here, someone intimidates the retinues of others but not his own retinue. It is in this way that a person is wrathful toward the cattle of others, not toward his own cattle. So, I say, this person is just like a bull wrathful toward the cattle of others, not toward his own cattle.
(3) “And how is a person wrathful both toward his own cattle and toward the cattle of others? Here, someone intimidates both the retinues of others and also his own retinue. It is in this way that a person is wrathful both toward his own cattle and toward the cattle of others. So, I say, this person is just like a bull wrathful both toward his own cattle and toward the cattle of others.
(4) “And how is a person wrathful neither toward his own cattle nor toward the cattle of others? Here, someone does not intimidate his own retinue or the retinues of others. It is in this way that a person is wrathful neither toward his own cattle nor toward the cattle of others. So, I say, this person is just like a bull wrathful neither toward his own cattle nor toward the cattle of others.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons similar to bulls found existing in the world.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of trees. What four? The one made of softwood that is surrounded by softwood [trees]; the one made of softwood that is surrounded by hardwood [trees]; the one made of hardwood that is surrounded by softwood [trees]; and the one made of hardwood that is surrounded by hardwood [trees]. These are the four kinds of trees. So too, there are these four kinds of persons similar to trees found existing in the world. What four? The one made of softwood who is surrounded by softwood [trees]; the one made of softwood who is surrounded by hardwood [trees]; the one made of hardwood who is surrounded by softwood [trees]; and the one made of hardwood who is surrounded by hardwood [trees].
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person made of softwood and surrounded by softwood [trees]? Here, someone is immoral, of bad character, and his retinue is also immoral, of bad character. It is in this way that a person is made of softwood and surrounded by softwood [trees]. So, I say, this person is just like a tree made of softwood and surrounded by softwood [trees].
(2) “And how is a person made of softwood but surrounded by hardwood [trees]? Here, someone is immoral, of bad character, but his retinue is virtuous, of good character. It is in this way that a person is made of softwood but surrounded by hardwood [trees]. So, I say, this person is just like a tree made of softwood but surrounded by hardwood [trees].
(3) “And how is a person made of hardwood but surrounded by softwood [trees]? Here, someone is virtuous, of good character, but his retinue is immoral, of bad character. It is in this way that a person is made of hardwood but surrounded by softwood [trees]. So, I say, this person is just like a tree made of hardwood but surrounded by softwood [trees].
(4) “And how is a person made of hardwood and surrounded by hardwood [trees]? Here, someone is virtuous, of good character, and his retinue is also virtuous, of good character. It is in this way that a person is made of hardwood and surrounded by hardwood [trees]. So, I say, this person is just like a tree made of hardwood and surrounded by hardwood [trees].
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons similar to trees found existing in the world.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of vipers. What four? The one whose venom is quick to come up but not virulent; the one whose venom is virulent but not quick to come up; the one whose venom is both quick to come up and virulent; and the one whose venom is neither quick to come up nor virulent. These are the four kinds of vipers. So too, there are these four kinds of persons similar to vipers found existing in the world. What four? The one whose venom is quick to come up but not virulent; the one whose venom is virulent but not quick to come up; the one whose venom is both quick to come up and virulent; and the one whose venom is neither quick to come up nor virulent.
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person one whose venom is quick to come up but not virulent? Here, someone often becomes angry, but his anger does not linger for a long time. It is in this way that a person is one whose venom is quick to come up but not virulent. So, I say, this person is just like a viper whose venom is quick to come up but not virulent.
(2) “And how is a person one whose venom is virulent but not quick to come up? Here, someone does not often become angry, but his anger lingers for a long time. It is in this way that a person is one whose venom is virulent but not quick to come up. So, I say, this person is just like a viper whose venom is virulent but not quick to come up.
(3) “And how is a person one whose venom is both quick to come up and virulent? Here, someone often becomes angry, and his anger lingers for a long time. It is in this way that a person is one whose venom is both quick to come up and virulent. So, I say, this person is just like a viper whose venom is both quick to come up and virulent.
(4) “And how is a person one whose venom is neither quick to come up nor virulent? Here, someone does not often become angry, and his anger does not linger for a long time. It is in this way that a person is one whose venom is neither quick to come up nor virulent. So, I say, this person is just like a viper whose venom is neither quick to come up nor virulent.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons similar to vipers found existing in the world.”