“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 individuals 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 an individual thunder but not rain? It’s when an individual memorizes the teaching—statements, mixed prose & verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations. 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 an individual thunders but doesn’t rain. That individual is like a cloud that thunders but doesn’t rain, I say.
And how does an individual rain but not thunder? It’s when an individual doesn’t memorize the teaching … But they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ …
And how does an individual neither thunder nor rain? It’s when an individual doesn’t memorize the teaching … Nor do they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ …
And how does an individual both thunder and rain? It’s when an individual memorizes the teaching … And they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ …
These four individuals similar to clouds are found in the world.”