an.4.102 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Clouds (2nd)

“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of clouds.
What four?
One thunders but doesn’t rain,
one rains but doesn’t thunder,
one neither thunders nor rains, and
one both rains and thunders.
These are the four kinds of clouds.
In the same way, these four people similar to clouds are found in the world.
What four?
One thunders but doesn’t rain,
one rains but doesn’t thunder,
one neither thunders nor rains, and
one both rains and thunders.
And how does a person thunder but not rain?
It’s when a person memorizes the teaching—
statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications.
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 thunders but doesn’t rain.
That person is like a cloud that thunders but doesn’t rain, I say.

And how does a person rain but not thunder?
It’s when a person doesn’t memorize the teaching …

But they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ …



And how does a person neither thunder nor rain?
It’s when a person doesn’t memorize the teaching …

Nor do they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ …



And how does a person both thunder and rain?
It’s when a person memorizes the teaching …

And they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ …



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