Puggala-Paññatti
Dessignation of Human Types
Division of human Types by Four
§ 21
Translated from the Pali by Bimala Charan Law, M.A., B.L.
© The Pali Text Society
Who are the four persons comparable to trees?
The four kinds of trees are as follows — one itself weak but surrounded by strong ones; one itself strong but surrounded by weak ones; one itself weak and surrounded by weak ones; one itself strong and surrounded by strong ones.
The four types of person likened respectively unto these four classes of trees exist in this world — a person himself weak but surrounded by the strong; a person himself strong but surrounded by the weak; a person himself weak and surrounded by the weak; a person himself strong and surrounded by the strong.
[73] How is a person who himself is weak surrounded by the strong?
Here a certain person is of bad morals, wicked, while his associates[1] are moral men of lovely nature. Thus is a person who himself is weak surrounded by the strong, just in the same way as a weak tree is surrounded by strong ones.
How is a person who is strong surrounded by the weak?
Here a certain person who is moral, of lovely nature, having associates who are immoral, wicked. Thus is a person who is strong surrounded by the weak, just in the same way as a strong tree is surrounded by weak ones.
How is a person who is immoral, wicked, having associates who are the same? ...
How is a person who is strong surrounded by the strong?
Here a certain person who himself is moral and of lovely nature, has similar associates. Thus is a person who is strong surrounded by the strong, just in the same way as a strong tree is surrounded by strong ones.
These are the four persons comparable to trees existing in this world.
[1] Parisā also means 'congregation.'
