AN 4.110

Āsīvisasutta

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, āsīvisā. Katame cattāro? Āgataviso na ghoraviso, ghoraviso na āgataviso, āgataviso ca ghoraviso ca, nevāgataviso na ghoraviso— Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro āsīvisā. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro āsīvisūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Āgataviso na ghoraviso, ghoraviso na āgataviso, āgataviso ca ghoraviso ca, nevāgataviso na ghoraviso.

Vipers

“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of viper. What four? One whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal, one whose venom is lethal but not fast-acting, one whose venom is both fast-acting and lethal, and one whose venom is neither fast-acting nor lethal. These are the four kinds of viper. In the same way, these four individuals similar to vipers are found in the world. What four? One whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal, one whose venom is lethal but not fast-acting, one whose venom is both fast-acting and lethal, and one whose venom is neither fast-acting nor lethal.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso hoti, na ghoraviso? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati. So ca khvassa kodho na dīgharattaṁ anuseti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso hoti, na ghoraviso. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, āsīviso āgataviso, na ghoraviso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

And how is an individual’s venom fast-acting but not lethal? It’s when an individual is often angry, but their anger doesn’t linger long. That’s how an individual’s venom is fast-acting but not lethal. That individual is like a viper whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo ghoraviso hoti, na āgataviso? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati. So ca khvassa kodho dīgharattaṁ anuseti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo ghoraviso hoti, na āgataviso. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, āsīviso ghoraviso, na āgataviso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

And how is an individual’s venom lethal but not fast-acting? It’s when an individual is not often angry, but their anger lingers for a long time.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso ca hoti ghoraviso ca? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati. So ca khvassa kodho dīgharattaṁ anuseti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso ca hoti ghoraviso ca. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, āsīviso āgataviso ca ghoraviso ca; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

And how is an individual’s venom both fast-acting and lethal? It’s when an individual is often angry, and their anger lingers for a long time.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo nevāgataviso hoti na ghoraviso? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati. So ca khvassa kodho na dīgharattaṁ anuseti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo nevāgataviso hoti, na ghoraviso. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, āsīviso nevāgataviso na ghoraviso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi. Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro āsīvisūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

And how is an individual’s venom neither fast-acting nor lethal? It’s when an individual is not often angry, and their anger doesn’t linger long. These four individuals similar to vipers are found in the world.”