The Chapter on Gods of the Clouds
AN 4.101 Clouds (1st) Paṭhamavalāhakasutta
So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, "Mendicants!"
"Venerable sir," they replied. The Buddha said this:
"Mendicants, there are these four kinds of clouds. What four?
One thunders but doesn't rain,
one rains but doesn't thunder,
one neither thunders nor rains, and
one both rains and thunders.
These are the four kinds of clouds. In the same way, these four people similar to clouds are found in the world. What four?
One thunders but doesn't rain,
one rains but doesn't thunder,
one neither thunders nor rains, and
one both rains and thunders.
And how does a person thunder but not rain? It's when a person is a talker, not a doer. That's how a person thunders but doesn't rain. That person is like a cloud that thunders but doesn't rain, I say.
And how does a person rain but not thunder? It's when a person is a doer, not a talker. ...
And how does a person neither thunder nor rain? It's when a person is neither a talker nor a doer. ...
And how does a person both thunder and rain? It's when a person is both a talker and a doer. ...
These four people similar to clouds are found in the world."
AN 4.102 Clouds (2nd) Dutiyavalāhakasutta
"Mendicants, there are these four kinds of clouds. What four?
One thunders but doesn't rain,
one rains but doesn't thunder,
one neither thunders nor rains, and
one both rains and thunders.
These are the four kinds of clouds. In the same way, these four people similar to clouds are found in the world. What four?
One thunders but doesn't rain,
one rains but doesn't thunder,
one neither thunders nor rains, and
one both rains and thunders.
And how does a person thunder but not rain? It's when a person memorizes the teaching---statements, mixed prose and verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations. But they don't truly understand: 'This is suffering' ... 'This is the origin of suffering' ... 'This is the cessation of suffering' ... 'This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering'. That's how a person thunders but doesn't rain. That person is like a cloud that thunders but doesn't rain, I say.
And how does a person rain but not thunder? It's when a person doesn't memorize the teaching ... But they truly understand: 'This is suffering' ...
And how does a person neither thunder nor rain? It's when a person doesn't memorize the teaching ... Nor do they truly understand: 'This is suffering' ...
And how does a person both thunder and rain? It's when a person memorizes the teaching ... And they truly understand: 'This is suffering' ...
These four people similar to clouds are found in the world."
AN 4.103 Pots Kumbhasutta
"Mendicants, there are these four pots. What four?
Covered but hollow,
uncovered but full,
uncovered and hollow, and
covered and full.
These are the four pots. In the same way, these four people similar to pots are found in the world. What four?
Covered but hollow,
uncovered but full,
uncovered and hollow, and
covered and full.
And how is a person covered but hollow? It's when a person is impressive when going out and coming back, when looking ahead and aside, when bending and extending the limbs, and when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes. But they don't truly understand: 'This is suffering' ... 'This is the origin of suffering' ... 'This is the cessation of suffering' ... 'This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering'. That's how a person is covered but hollow. That person is like a pot that's covered but hollow, I say.
And how is a person uncovered but full? It's when a person is not impressive ... But they truly understand: 'This is suffering' ...
And how is a person uncovered and hollow? It's when a person is not impressive ... Nor do they truly understand: 'This is suffering' ...
And how is a person covered and full? It's when a person is impressive ... And they truly understand: 'This is suffering' ...
These four people similar to pots are found in the world."
AN 4.104 Lakes Udakarahadasutta
"Mendicants, there are these four lakes. What four?
One is shallow but appears deep,
one is deep but appears shallow,
one is shallow and appears shallow, and
one is deep and appears deep.
These are the four lakes. In the same way, these four people similar to lakes are found in the world. What four?
One is shallow but appears deep,
one is deep but appears shallow,
one is shallow and appears shallow, and
one is deep and appears deep.
And how is a person shallow but appears deep? It's when a person is impressive when going out and coming back, when looking ahead and aside, when bending and extending the limbs, and when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes. But they don't really understand: 'This is suffering' ... 'This is the origin of suffering' ... 'This is the cessation of suffering' ... 'This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering'. That's how a person is shallow but appears deep. That person is like a lake that's shallow but appears deep, I say.
And how is a person deep but appears shallow? It's when a person is not impressive ... But they really understand: 'This is suffering' ...
And how is a person shallow and appears shallow? It's when a person is not impressive ... Nor do they really understand: 'This is suffering' ...
And how is a person deep and appears deep? It's when a person is impressive ... And they really understand: 'This is suffering' ...
These four people similar to lakes are found in the world."
AN 4.105 Mangoes Ambasutta
"Mendicants, there are these four mangoes. What four?
One is unripe but seems ripe,
one is ripe but seems unripe,
one is unripe and seems unripe, and
one is ripe and seems ripe.
These are the four mangoes.
In the same way, these four people similar to mangoes are found in the world. What four?
One is unripe but seems ripe,
one is ripe but seems unripe,
one is unripe and seems unripe, and
one is ripe and seems ripe.
And how is a person unripe but seems ripe? It's when a person is impressive when going out and coming back, when looking ahead and aside, when bending and extending the limbs, and when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes. But they don't really understand: 'This is suffering' ... 'This is the origin of suffering' ... 'This is the cessation of suffering' ... 'This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering'. That's how a person is unripe but seems ripe. That person is like a mango that's unripe but seems ripe, I say.
And how is a person ripe but seems unripe? It's when a person is not impressive ... But they really understand: 'This is suffering' ...
And how is a person unripe and seems unripe? It's when a person is not impressive ... Nor do they really understand: 'This is suffering' ...
And how is a person ripe and seems ripe? It's when a person is impressive ... And they really understand: 'This is suffering' ...
These four people similar to mangoes are found in the world."
AN 4.106 Mangoes (2nd) (Dutiyaambasutta)
::: small (This is a ghost sutta: there is no text for it in any available editions.) :::
AN 4.107 Mice Mūsikasutta
"Mendicants, there are these four kinds of mice. What four?
One makes a hole but doesn't live in it,
one lives in a hole but doesn't make it,
one neither makes a hole nor lives in it, and
one both makes a hole and lives in it.
These are the four kinds of mice. In the same way, these four people similar to mice are found in the world. What four?
One makes a hole but doesn't live in it,
one lives in a hole but doesn't make it,
one neither makes a hole nor lives in it, and
one both makes a hole and lives in it.
And how does a person make a hole but not live in it? It's when a person memorizes the teaching---statements, mixed prose & verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations. But they don't really understand: 'This is suffering' ... 'This is the origin of suffering' ... 'This is the cessation of suffering' ... 'This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering'. That's how a person makes a hole but doesn't live in it. That person is like a mouse that makes a hole but doesn't live in it, I say.
And how does a person live in a hole but not make it? It's when a person doesn't memorize the teaching ... But they really understand: 'This is suffering' ...
And how does a person neither make a hole nor live in it? It's when a person doesn't memorize the teaching ... Nor do they really understand: 'This is suffering' ...
And how does a person both make a hole and live in it? It's when a person memorizes the teaching ... And they really understand: 'This is suffering' ...
These four people similar to mice are found in the world."
AN 4.108 Oxen Balībaddasutta
"Mendicants, there are these four kinds of oxen. What four?
One hostile to its own herd, not others;
one hostile to other herds, not its own;
one hostile to both its own herd and others; and
one hostile to neither its own herd nor others.
These are the four kinds of oxen. In the same way, these four people similar to oxen are found in the world. What four?
One hostile to their own herd, not others;
one hostile to other herds, not their own;
one hostile to both their own herd and others; and
one hostile to neither their own herd nor others.
And how is a person hostile to their own herd, not others? It's when a person intimidates their own followers, not the followers of others. That's how a person is hostile to their own herd, not others. That person is like an ox that's hostile to its own herd, not others.
And how is a person hostile to other herds, not their own? It's when a person intimidates the followers of others, not their own. ...
And how is a person hostile to both their own herd and others? It's when a person intimidates their own followers and the followers of others. ...
And how is a person hostile to neither their own herd nor others? It's when a person doesn't intimidate their own followers or the followers of others.
These four people similar to oxen are found in the world."
AN 4.109 Trees Rukkhasutta
"Mendicants, there are these four kinds of tree. What four?
One is a softwood surrounded by softwoods,
one is a softwood surrounded by hardwoods,
one is a hardwood surrounded by softwoods, and
one is a hardwood surrounded by hardwoods.
These are the four kinds of tree. In the same way, these four people similar to trees are found in the world. What four?
One is a softwood surrounded by softwoods,
one is a softwood surrounded by hardwoods,
one is a hardwood surrounded by softwoods, and
one is a hardwood surrounded by hardwoods.
And how is a person a softwood surrounded by softwoods? It's when a person is unethical, of bad character, and their followers are the same. That's how a person is a softwood surrounded by softwoods. That person is like a softwood tree that's surrounded by softwoods, I say.
And how is a person a softwood surrounded by hardwoods? It's when a person is unethical, of bad character, but their followers are ethical, of good character. ...
And how is a person a hardwood surrounded by softwoods? It's when a person is ethical, of good character, but their followers are unethical, of bad character. ...
And how is a person a hardwood surrounded by hardwoods? It's when a person is ethical, of good character, and their followers are the same.
These four people similar to trees are found in the world."
AN 4.110 Vipers Āsīvisasutta
"Mendicants, there are these four kinds of viper. What four?
One whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal,
one whose venom is lethal but not fast-acting,
one whose venom is both fast-acting and lethal, and
one whose venom is neither fast-acting nor lethal.
These are the four kinds of viper. In the same way, these four people similar to vipers are found in the world. What four?
One whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal,
one whose venom is lethal but not fast-acting,
one whose venom is both fast-acting and lethal, and
one whose venom is neither fast-acting nor lethal.
And how is a person's venom fast-acting but not lethal? It's when a person is often angry, but their anger doesn't linger long. That's how a person's venom is fast-acting but not lethal. That person is like a viper whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal.
And how is a person's venom lethal but not fast-acting? It's when a person is not often angry, but their anger lingers for a long time.
And how is a person's venom both fast-acting and lethal? It's when a person is often angry, and their anger lingers for a long time.
And how is a person's venom neither fast-acting nor lethal? It's when a person is not often angry, and their anger doesn't linger long.
These four people similar to vipers are found in the world."