<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-21</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000731939</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TEMPLE INLAND INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TIN</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001157456</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TEMPLE ARTHUR III</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-21</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-07-21</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>525</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>44.35</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2127</value><footnoteId id="F3" /><footnoteId id="F4" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Trustee</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Trustee was not notified of sale until July 24, 2003.  </footnote><footnote id="F2">By self as Trustee for Arthur Temple III, Trustee of the Arthur Temple III Childrens' 1982 Trust, UTA Dated 12/06/82 FBO - Susan Helen Temple.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Common Stock-2,503-D; Common Stock-166,763-I-By Temple Interests, L.P.; Common Stock-1,000-I-By Wife; Common Stock-58,500-I-By Katherine Sage Temple Inter-vivos Trust for Arthur Temple and Arthur Temple III; Common Stock-67,230-I-By self as Trustee for Arthur Temple and Mary Temple Denman Trust Part II: Mary Temple Denman; Common Stock-78,690-I-By Arthur Temple III Testamentary Trust (Katherine Sage Temple); Common Stock-2,652-I-By self as Trustee for Arthur Temple III, Trustee of the Arthur Temple III Childrens' 1982 Trust, UTA Dated 12/06/82 FBO-John Clark Hurst, Jr.; Common Stock-2,652-I-By self as Trustee for Arthur Temple III, Trustee of the Arthur Temple III Childrens' 1982 Trust, UTA Dated 12/06/82 FBO-Whitney Sage Temple.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Common Stock-2,127-I-By self as Trustee for Arthur Temple III, Trustee of the Arthur Temple III Childrens' 1982 Trust, UTA Dated 12/06/82 FBO - Susan Helen Temple; Common Stock-2,652-I-By self as Trustee for Arthur Temple III, Trustee of the Arthur Temple III Childrens' 1982 Trust, UTA Dated 12/06/82 FBO - Hannah Lea Temple.

</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Signed by Leslie K. O'Neal on behalf of Arthur Temple III</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-24</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

