"Monks, there are these four obscurations of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle. Which four?
"Clouds are an obscuration of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"Fog is an obscuration...
"Smoke and dust is an obscuration...
"Rahu, the king of the asuras, [1] is an obscuration of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"These are the four obscurations of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"In the same way, there are four obscurations of contemplatives and brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle. Which four?
"There are some contemplatives and brahmans who drink alcohol and fermented liquor, who don't refrain from drinking alcohol and fermented liquor. This is the first obscuration of contemplatives and brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"There are some contemplatives and brahmans who engage in sexual intercourse, who don't refrain from sexual intercourse. This is the second obscuration of contemplatives and brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"There are some contemplatives and brahmans who consent to gold & silver, who don't refrain from accepting gold & silver. This is the third obscuration of contemplatives and brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"There are some contemplatives and brahmans who maintain life through wrong livelihood, who don't refrain from wrong livelihood. This is the fourth obscuration of contemplatives and brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle.
"These are the four obscurations, obscured by which some contemplatives and brahmans don't glow, don't shine, don't dazzle."
