- Numbered Discourses 4.101 Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.101
- 11. Clouds 11. Valāhakavagga
Clouds (1st) Paṭhamavalāhakasutta
So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Mendicants!” “bhikkhavo”ti.
“Venerable sir,” they replied. “Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. The Buddha said this: Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of clouds. “Cattārome, bhikkhave, valāhakā. What four? Katame cattāro?
- One thunders but doesn’t rain, Gajjitā no vassitā,
- one rains but doesn’t thunder, vassitā no gajjitā,
- one neither thunders nor rains, and neva gajjitā no vassitā,
- one both rains and thunders. gajjitā ca vassitā ca.
These are the four kinds of clouds. Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro valāhakā. In the same way, these four individuals similar to clouds are found in the world. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro valāhakūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. What four? Katame cattāro?
- One thunders but doesn’t rain, Gajjitā no vassitā,
- one rains but doesn’t thunder, vassitā no gajjitā,
- one neither thunders nor rains, and neva gajjitā no vassitā,
- one both rains and thunders. gajjitā ca vassitā ca.
And how does an individual thunder but not rain? Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo gajjitā hoti no vassitā? It’s when an individual is a talker, not a doer. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo bhāsitā hoti, no kattā. That’s how an individual thunders but doesn’t rain. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo gajjitā hoti, no vassitā. That individual is like a cloud that thunders but doesn’t rain, I say. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, valāhako gajjitā, no vassitā; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
And how does an individual rain but not thunder? Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo vassitā hoti, no gajjitā? It’s when an individual is a doer, not a talker. … Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo kattā hoti, no bhāsitā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo vassitā hoti, no gajjitā. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, valāhako vassitā, no gajjitā; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
And how does an individual neither thunder nor rain? Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo neva gajjitā hoti, no vassitā? It’s when an individual is neither a talker nor a doer. … Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo neva bhāsitā hoti, no kattā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo neva gajjitā hoti, no vassitā. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, valāhako neva gajjitā, no vassitā; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
And how does an individual both thunder and rain? Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo gajjitā ca hoti vassitā ca? It’s when an individual is both a talker and a doer. … Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo bhāsitā ca hoti kattā ca. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo gajjitā ca hoti vassitā ca. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, valāhako gajjitā ca vassitā ca; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
These four individuals similar to clouds are found in the world.” Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro valāhakūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.
Paṭhamaṁ.