Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.103

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 4.103

11. Valāhakavagga
11. Clouds

Kumbhasutta

Pots

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, kumbhā.
“Mendicants, there are these four pots.

Katame cattāro?
What four?

Tuccho pihito,
Covered but hollow,

pūro vivaṭo,
uncovered but full,

tuccho vivaṭo,
uncovered and hollow, and

pūro pihito—
covered and full.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro kumbhā.
These are the four pots.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro kumbhūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.
In the same way, these four people similar to pots are found in the world.

Katame cattāro?
What four?

Tuccho pihito,
Covered but hollow,

pūro vivaṭo,
uncovered but full,

tuccho vivaṭo,
uncovered and hollow, and

pūro pihito.
covered and full.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo tuccho hoti pihito?
And how is a person covered but hollow?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ.
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.

So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.
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’.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo tuccho hoti pihito.
That’s how a person is covered but hollow.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, kumbho tuccho pihito;
That person is like a pot that’s covered but hollow, I say.

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo pūro hoti vivaṭo?
And how is a person uncovered but full?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa na pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ.
It’s when a person is not impressive …

So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.
But they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ …

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo pūro hoti vivaṭo.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, kumbho pūro vivaṭo;

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo tuccho hoti vivaṭo?
And how is a person uncovered and hollow?

So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.
Nor do they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ …

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo tuccho hoti vivaṭo.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, kumbho tuccho vivaṭo;

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo pūro hoti pihito?
And how is a person covered and full?

So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.
And they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ …

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.
These four people similar to pots are found in the world.”

Tatiyaṁ.