sutta » an » an4 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.110

Āsīvisasutta

Vipers

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, āsīvisā.
“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of viper.

Katame cattāro?
What four?

Āgataviso na ghoraviso,
One whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal,

ghoraviso na āgataviso,
one whose venom is lethal but not fast-acting,

āgataviso ca ghoraviso ca,
one whose venom is both fast-acting and lethal, and

nevāgataviso na ghoraviso—
one whose venom is neither fast-acting nor lethal.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro āsīvisā.
These are the four kinds of viper.

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

Katame cattāro?
What four?

Āgataviso na ghoraviso,
One whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal,

ghoraviso na āgataviso,
one whose venom is lethal but not fast-acting,

āgataviso ca ghoraviso ca,
one whose venom is both fast-acting and lethal, and

nevāgataviso na ghoraviso.
one whose venom is neither fast-acting nor lethal.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso hoti, na ghoraviso?
And how is a person’s venom fast-acting but not lethal?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati.
It’s when a person is often angry,

So ca khvassa kodho na dīgharattaṁ anuseti.
but their anger doesn’t linger long.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso hoti, na ghoraviso.
That’s how a person’s venom is fast-acting but not lethal.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, āsīviso āgataviso, na ghoraviso;
That person is like a viper whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal.

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo ghoraviso hoti, na āgataviso?
And how is a person’s venom lethal but not fast-acting?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati.
It’s when a person is not often angry,

So ca khvassa kodho dīgharattaṁ anuseti.
but their anger lingers for a long time.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo ghoraviso hoti, na āgataviso.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, āsīviso ghoraviso, na āgataviso;

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso ca hoti ghoraviso ca?
And how is a person’s venom both fast-acting and lethal?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati.
It’s when a person is often angry,

So ca khvassa kodho dīgharattaṁ anuseti.
and their anger lingers for a long time.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso ca hoti ghoraviso ca.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, āsīviso āgataviso ca ghoraviso ca;

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo nevāgataviso hoti na ghoraviso?
And how is a person’s venom neither fast-acting nor lethal?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati.
It’s when a person is not often angry,

So ca khvassa kodho na dīgharattaṁ anuseti.
and their anger doesn’t linger long.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo nevāgataviso hoti, na ghoraviso.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, āsīviso nevāgataviso na ghoraviso;

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro āsīvisūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.
These four people similar to vipers are found in the world.”

Dasamaṁ.

Valāhakavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve valāhā kumbha udaka,

rahadā dve honti ambāni;

Mūsikā balībaddā rukkhā,

āsīvisena te dasāti.