Aṇguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XI: Valāhaka Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter XI: Rain-Cloud
Sutta 102
Dutiya Valāhaka Suttaṃ
Rain-Cloud (b)
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
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On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted ONe.
The Exalted One said this:
"Monks, there are these four rain-clouds.
What four?
The thunderer not the rainer.
The rainer not the thunderer.
The neither thunderer nor rainer.
The both thunderer and rainer.
These are the four.
In like manner, monks, these four persons resembling rain-clouds
are to be found existing in the world.
What four?
The thunderer not the rainer.
The rainer not the thunderer.
The neither thunderer nor rainer.
The both thunderer and rainer.
Now, monks, how is a person
a thunderer but no rainer?
And how, monks, is a person a thunderer but not a rainer?
In this case, monks, a certain person masters Dhamma, to wit:
Sutta, Geyya, Veyyākaraṇa, Gāthā, Udāna, Itivuttaka, Jātaka, Abbhutadhamma and Vedalla.[1]
Yet he understands not,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is Ill.'
He understands not,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is the arising of Ill.'
He understands not,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is the ending of Ill.'
He understands not,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is the practice going to the ending of Ill.'
Thus, monks, a person is one
who thunders but rains not.
Just as that rain-cloud thunders but rains not,
even so using this figure
do I speak of this person.
And how, monks, is a person
one who rains but thunders not?
[111] In this case a certain person does not master Dhamma,
to wit:
Sutta, Geyya, Veyyākaraṇa, Gāthā, Udāna, Itivuttaka, Jātaka, Abbhutadhamma and Vedalla.
Yet he does understand,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is Ill.'
He does understand,
as it really is, the meaning of:
'This is the arising of Ill.'
He does understand,
as it really is, the meaning of:
'This is the ending of Ill.'
He does understand,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is the practice going to the ending of Ill.'
Thus he is one who rains but thunders not.
Just as that cloud rains but thunders not,
so using this figure
do I speak of this person.
And how, monks,
is a person neither thunderer nor rainer?
In this case a certain person neither masters Dhamma,
to wit:
Sutta, Geyya, Veyyākaraṇa, Gāthā, Udāna, Itivuttaka, Jātaka, Abbhutadhamma and Vedalla.
And he understands not,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is Ill.'
He understands not,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is the arising of Ill.'
He understands not,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is the ending of Ill.'
He understands not,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is the practice going to the ending of Ill.'
Thus he is one who neither thunders nor rains.
Just as that cloud neither thunders nor rains,
so using this figure
do I speak of this person.
And how, monks, is a person both thunderer and rainer? In this case a certain person both masters Dhamma, to wit:
Sutta, Geyya, Veyyākaraṇa, Gāthā, Udāna, Itivuttaka, Jātaka, Abbhutadhamma and Vedalla.
And he does understand,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is Ill.'
He does understand,
as it really is, the meaning of:
'This is the arising of Ill.'
He does understand,
as it really is, the meaning of:
'This is the ending of Ill.'
He does understand,
as it really is,
the meaning of:
'This is the practice going to the ending of Ill.'
Thus, monks, is a person who both thunders and rains.
Just as that cloud both thunders and rains,
so using this figure
do I speak of this person.
So these are the four persons found existing in the world.
[1] Cf. Pugg. 43.
