The Buddha describes the four lakes—one is shallow but appears deep,, one is deep but appears shallow,, one is shallow and appears shallow, and and.

AN 4.104 Lakes

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, udakarahadā. Katame cattāro?

Uttāno gambhīrobhāso,

gambhīro uttānobhāso,

uttāno uttānobhāso,

gambhīro gambhīrobhāso

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro udakarahadā. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro udakarahadūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?

Uttāno gambhīrobhāso,

gambhīro uttānobhāso,

uttāno uttānobhāso,

gambhīro gambhīrobhāso.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo uttāno hoti gambhīrobhāso? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo uttāno hoti gambhīrobhāso. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado uttāno gambhīrobhāso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo gambhīro hoti uttānobhāso? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa na pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo gambhīro hoti uttānobhāso. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado gambhīro uttānobhāso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo uttāno hoti uttānobhāso? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa na pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo uttāno hoti uttānobhāso. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado uttāno uttānobhāso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo gambhīro hoti gambhīrobhāso? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo gambhīro hoti gambhīrobhāso. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado gambhīro gambhīrobhāso; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro udakarahadūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, udakarahadā.

“Mendicants, there are these four lakes.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Uttāno gambhīrobhāso,

One is shallow but appears deep,

gambhīro uttānobhāso,

one is deep but appears shallow,

uttāno uttānobhāso,

one is shallow and appears shallow, and

gambhīro gambhīrobhāso

one is deep and appears deep.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro udakarahadā.

These are the four lakes.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro udakarahadūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

In the same way, these four individuals similar to lakes are found in the world.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Uttāno gambhīrobhāso,

One is shallow but appears deep,

gambhīro uttānobhāso,

one is deep but appears shallow,

uttāno uttānobhāso,

one is shallow and appears shallow, and

gambhīro gambhīrobhāso.

one is deep and appears deep.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo uttāno hoti gambhīrobhāso?

And how is an individual shallow but appears deep?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ.

It’s when an individual is impressive when going out and coming back, when looking ahead and aside, when bending and extending the limbs, and when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes.

So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.

But they don’t really understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo uttāno hoti gambhīrobhāso.

That’s how an individual is shallow but appears deep.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado uttāno gambhīrobhāso;

That individual is like a lake that’s shallow but appears deep, I say.

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo gambhīro hoti uttānobhāso?

And how is an individual deep but appears shallow?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa na pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ.

It’s when an individual is not impressive …

So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.

But they really understand: ‘This is suffering’ …

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo gambhīro hoti uttānobhāso.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado gambhīro uttānobhāso;

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo uttāno hoti uttānobhāso?

And how is an individual shallow and appears shallow?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa na pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ.

It’s when an individual is not impressive …

So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.

Nor do they really understand: ‘This is suffering’ …

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo uttāno hoti uttānobhāso.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado uttāno uttānobhāso;

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo gambhīro hoti gambhīrobhāso?

And how is an individual deep and appears deep?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa pāsādikaṁ hoti abhikkantaṁ paṭikkantaṁ ālokitaṁ vilokitaṁ samiñjitaṁ pasāritaṁ saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇaṁ.

It’s when an individual is impressive …

So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.

And they really understand: ‘This is suffering’ …

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo gambhīro hoti gambhīrobhāso.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, udakarahado gambhīro gambhīrobhāso;

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro udakarahadūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

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

Catutthaṁ.

Qualities:

Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026