105. BUDDHA SPEAKS ABOUT CLOUDS

108 Buddhist Parables

“O Monks, there are these four types of clouds. What are these four? The one that thunders but does not rain; the one that rains but does not thunder; the one that neither thunders nor rains; and the one that both thunders and rains. These are the four types of clouds. So too, there are four types of persons similar to clouds found existing in the world.

“How is a person who thunders but does not rain? This is a person who is a talker, but not a doer. It is in this way that a person is one who thunders, but does not rain.

“How is a person who rains but does not thunder? This is a person who is a doer, but not a talker. It is in this way that a person is one who rains, but does not thunder.

“How is a person one who neither thunders nor rains? This is a person who is neither a talker, nor a doer. It is in this way that a person is one who neither thunders, nor rains.

“How is a person one who both thunders and rains? This is a person who is both a talker and a doer. It is in this way that a person is one who both thunders and rains.

“These are the four types of persons similar to clouds found existing in the world .”

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