1"Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of trees. What four? The one made of softwood that is surrounded by softwood trees; the one made of softwood that is surrounded by hardwood trees; the one made of hardwood that is surrounded by softwood trees; and the one made of hardwood that is surrounded by hardwood trees. These are the four kinds of trees. So too, there are these four kinds of persons similar to trees found existing in the world. What four? The one made of softwood who is surrounded by softwood trees; the one made of softwood who is surrounded by hardwood trees; the one made of hardwood who is surrounded by softwood trees; and the one made of hardwood who is surrounded by hardwood trees.

2(1) "And how, bhikkhus, is a person made of softwood and surrounded by softwood trees? Here, someone is immoral, of bad character, and his retinue is also immoral, of bad character. It is in this way that a person is made of softwood and surrounded by softwood trees. So, I say, this person is just like a tree made of softwood and surrounded by softwood trees.

3(2) "And how is a person made of softwood but surrounded by hardwood trees? Here, someone is immoral, of bad character, but his retinue is virtuous, of good character. It is in this way that a person is made of softwood but surrounded by hardwood trees. So, I say, this person is just like a tree made of softwood but surrounded by hardwood trees.

4(3) "And how is a person made of hardwood but surrounded by softwood trees? Here, someone is virtuous, of good character, but his retinue is immoral, of bad character. It is in this way that a person is made of hardwood but surrounded by softwood trees. So, I say, this person is just like a tree made of hardwood but surrounded by softwood trees.

5(4) "And how is a person made of hardwood and surrounded by hardwood trees? Here, someone is virtuous, of good character, and his retinue is also virtuous, of good character. It is in this way that a person is made of hardwood and surrounded by hardwood trees. So, I say, this person is just like a tree made of hardwood and surrounded by hardwood trees.

"These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons similar to trees found existing in the world."

1"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.

2Kathañca, 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.

3Kathañca, 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.

4Kathañca, 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.

5Kathañca, 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.

Navamaṁ.