The Buddha describes the four kinds of viper—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 and.

AN 4.110 Vipers

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dasamaṁ.

Valāhakavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve valāhā kumbha udaka,
rahadā dve honti ambāni;
Mūsikā balībaddā rukkhā,
āsīvisena te dasāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, āsīvisā.

“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of viper.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Āgataviso na ghoraviso,

One whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal,

ghoraviso na āgataviso,

one whose venom is lethal but not fast-acting,

āgataviso ca ghoraviso ca,

one whose venom is both fast-acting and lethal, and

nevāgataviso na ghoraviso

one whose venom is neither fast-acting nor lethal.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro āsīvisā.

These are the four kinds of viper.

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

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

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Āgataviso na ghoraviso,

One whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal,

ghoraviso na āgataviso,

one whose venom is lethal but not fast-acting,

āgataviso ca ghoraviso ca,

one whose venom is both fast-acting and lethal, and

nevāgataviso na ghoraviso.

one whose venom is neither fast-acting nor lethal.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso hoti, na ghoraviso?

And how is an individual’s venom fast-acting but not lethal?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati.

It’s when an individual is often angry,

So ca khvassa kodho na dīgharattaṁ anuseti.

but their anger doesn’t linger long.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso hoti, na ghoraviso.

That’s how an individual’s venom is fast-acting but not lethal.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, āsīviso āgataviso, na ghoraviso;

That individual is like a viper whose venom is fast-acting but not lethal.

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo ghoraviso hoti, na āgataviso?

And how is an individual’s venom lethal but not fast-acting?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati.

It’s when an individual is not often angry,

So ca khvassa kodho dīgharattaṁ anuseti.

but their anger lingers for a long time.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo ghoraviso hoti, na āgataviso.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, āsīviso ghoraviso, na āgataviso;

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso ca hoti ghoraviso ca?

And how is an individual’s venom both fast-acting and lethal?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati.

It’s when an individual is often angry,

So ca khvassa kodho dīgharattaṁ anuseti.

and their anger lingers for a long time.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo āgataviso ca hoti ghoraviso ca.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, āsīviso āgataviso ca ghoraviso ca;

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo nevāgataviso hoti na ghoraviso?

And how is an individual’s venom neither fast-acting nor lethal?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo na heva kho abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati.

It’s when an individual is not often angry,

So ca khvassa kodho na dīgharattaṁ anuseti.

and their anger doesn’t linger long.

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.

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

Dasamaṁ.

Valāhakavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve valāhā kumbha udaka,

rahadā dve honti ambāni;

Mūsikā balībaddā rukkhā,

āsīvisena te dasāti.

Qualities:

Anger

Anger

A burning surge of aversion that erupts against people or situations, scorching clarity and kindness. It distorts perception and drives speech and action toward harm.

Also known as: rage, wrath, fury, indignation
Pāli: kodha, kopa
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Ill will

Ill will

A mental quality of actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, manifesting as deliberate thoughts or intentions that oppose kindness and compassion; it fuels conflict and obstructs goodwill.

Also known as: actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, thought of malevolence towards another, hostile reflections towards another
Pāli: byāpāda
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Last updated on July 27, 2026