4: The Book of the Fours
X. Demons — AN 4.103: Pots
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1“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.
2And 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.
3And how is a person uncovered but full? It’s when a person is not impressive … But they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ …
4And how is a person uncovered and hollow? It’s when a person is not impressive … Nor do they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ …
5And 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.”
1"Cattārome, bhikkhave, kumbhā. Katame cattāro?
Tuccho pihito,
pūro vivaṭo,
tuccho vivaṭo,
pūro pihito –
ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro kumbhā. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro kumbhūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?
Tuccho pihito,
pūro vivaṭo,
tuccho vivaṭo,
pūro pihito.
2Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo tuccho hoti pihito? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo tuccho hoti pihito. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, kumbho tuccho pihito; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
3Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo pūro hoti vivaṭo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa na pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo pūro hoti vivaṭo. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, kumbho pūro vivaṭo; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
4Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo tuccho hoti vivaṭo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa na pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo tuccho hoti vivaṭo. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, kumbho tuccho vivaṭo; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
5Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo pūro hoti pihito? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo pūro hoti pihito. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, kumbho pūro pihito; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro kumbhūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin"ti.
Tatiyaṁ.