Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.104

Numbered Discourses 4.104

11. Valāhakavagga

11. Clouds

Udakarahadasutta

Lakes

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, udakarahadā. Katame cattāro?

“Bhikkhus, there are these four lakes. What four?

Uttāno gambhīrobhāso,

One is shallow but appears deep,

gambhīro uttānobhāso,

one is deep but appears shallow,

uttāno uttānobhāso,

one is shallow and appears shallow, and

gambhīro gambhīrobhāso—

one is deep and appears deep.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro udakarahadā. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro udakarahadūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?

These are the four lakes. In the same way, these four people similar to lakes are found in the world. What four?

Uttāno gambhīrobhāso,

One is shallow but appears deep,

gambhīro uttānobhāso,

one is deep but appears shallow,

uttāno uttānobhāso,

one is shallow and appears shallow, and

gambhīro gambhīrobhāso.

one is deep and appears deep.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo uttāno hoti gambhīrobhāso? 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 uttāno hoti gambhīrobhāso. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado uttāno gambhīrobhāso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

And how is a person shallow but appears deep? 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 really 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 shallow but appears deep. That person is like a lake that’s shallow but appears deep, I say.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo gambhīro hoti uttānobhāso? 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 gambhīro hoti uttānobhāso. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado gambhīro uttānobhāso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

And how is a person deep but appears shallow? It’s when a person is not impressive … But they really understand: ‘This is suffering’ …

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo uttāno hoti uttānobhāso? 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 uttāno hoti uttānobhāso. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado uttāno uttānobhāso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

And how is a person shallow and appears shallow? It’s when a person is not impressive … Nor do they really understand: ‘This is suffering’ …

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo gambhīro hoti gambhīrobhāso? 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 gambhīro hoti gambhīrobhāso. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado gambhīro gambhīrobhāso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

And how is a person deep and appears deep? It’s when a person is impressive … And they really understand: ‘This is suffering’ …

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro udakarahadūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

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

Catutthaṁ.