AN 4.109

Rukkhasutta

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, rukkhā. Katame cattāro? Pheggu phegguparivāro, pheggu sāraparivāro, sāro phegguparivāro, sāro sāraparivāro— Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro rukkhā. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro rukkhūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Pheggu phegguparivāro, pheggu sāraparivāro, sāro phegguparivāro, sāro sāraparivāro.

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.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo pheggu hoti phegguparivāro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dussīlo hoti pāpadhammo; parisāpissa hoti dussīlā pāpadhammā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo pheggu hoti phegguparivāro. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, rukkho pheggu phegguparivāro; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

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.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo pheggu hoti sāraparivāro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dussīlo hoti pāpadhammo; parisā ca khvassa hoti sīlavatī kalyāṇadhammā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo pheggu hoti sāraparivāro. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, rukkho pheggu sāraparivāro; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

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. …

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo sāro hoti phegguparivāro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo; parisā ca khvassa hoti dussīlā pāpadhammā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo sāro hoti phegguparivāro. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, rukkho sāro phegguparivāro; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

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. …

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo sāro hoti sāraparivāro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo; parisāpissa hoti sīlavatī kalyāṇadhammā. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo sāro hoti sāraparivāro. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, rukkho sāro sāraparivāro; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi. Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro rukkhūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

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.”