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AN 4.109

Trees

Rukkhasutta

from: 11. Clouds

Trees

“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of tree. What four? One is a softwood surrounded by softwoods, one is a softwood surrounded by hardwoods, one is a hardwood surrounded by softwoods, and one is a hardwood surrounded by hardwoods.

These are the four kinds of tree. In the same way, these four individuals similar to trees are found in the world. What four? One is a softwood surrounded by softwoods, one is a softwood surrounded by hardwoods, one is a hardwood surrounded by softwoods, and one is a hardwood surrounded by hardwoods.

And how is an individual a softwood surrounded by softwoods? It’s when an individual is unethical, of bad character, and their followers are the same. That’s how an individual is a softwood surrounded by softwoods. That individual is like a softwood tree that’s surrounded by softwoods, I say.

And how is an individual a softwood surrounded by hardwoods? It’s when an individual is unethical, of bad character, but their followers are ethical, of good character. …

And how is an individual a hardwood surrounded by softwoods? It’s when an individual is ethical, of good character, but their followers are unethical, of bad character. …

And how is an individual a hardwood surrounded by hardwoods? It’s when an individual is ethical, of good character, and their followers are the same.

These four individuals similar to trees are found in the world.”

Translation: German (Ayyā Sabbamittā), English (Bhikkhu Sujato). Source: SuttaCentral / Bilara (public domain, CC0).

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