• Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.50 Numbered Discourses 8.50
  • 5. Uposathavagga 5. Sabbath

Dutiyaidhalokikasutta Winning in This Life (2nd)

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo idhalokavijayāya paṭipanno hoti, ayaṁsa loko āraddho hoti. “Mendicants, a lady who has four qualities is practicing to win in this life, and she succeeds at it. Katamehi catūhi? What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo susaṁvihitakammanto hoti, saṅgahitaparijano, bhattu manāpaṁ carati, sambhataṁ anurakkhati. It’s when a lady is well-organized at work, manages the domestic help, acts lovingly toward her husband, and preserves his earnings.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo susaṁvihitakammanto hoti? And how is a lady well-organized at work? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo ye te bhattu abbhantarā kammantā …pe… It’s when she’s skilled and tireless in doing domestic duties for her husband … evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo susaṁvihitakammanto hoti. That’s how a lady is well-organized at work.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saṅgahitaparijano hoti? And how does a lady manage the domestic help? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo yo so bhattu abbhantaro antojano …pe… It’s when she knows what work her husband’s domestic bondservants, servants, and workers have completed, and what they’ve left incomplete. She knows who is sick, and who is fit or unwell. She distributes to each a fair portion of fresh and cooked foods. evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saṅgahitaparijano hoti. That’s how a lady manages the domestic help.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo bhattu manāpaṁ carati? And how does a lady act lovingly toward her husband? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo yaṁ bhattu amanāpasaṅkhātaṁ taṁ jīvitahetupi na ajjhācarati. It’s when a lady would not transgress in any way that her husband would not consider agreeable, even for the sake of her own life. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo bhattu manāpaṁ carati. That’s how a lady acts lovingly toward her husband.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo sambhataṁ anurakkhati? And how does a lady preserve his earnings? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo yaṁ bhattā āharati …pe… It’s when she tries to guard and protect any income her husband earns … evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo sambhataṁ anurakkhati. That’s how a lady preserves his earnings.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo idhalokavijayāya paṭipanno hoti, ayaṁsa loko āraddho hoti. A lady who possesses these four qualities is practicing to win in this life, and she succeeds at it.

Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo paralokavijayāya paṭipanno hoti, paraloko āraddho hoti. A lady who has four qualities is practicing to win in the next life, and she succeeds at it. Katamehi catūhi? What four? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saddhāsampanno hoti, sīlasampanno hoti, cāgasampanno hoti, paññāsampanno hoti. It’s when a lady is accomplished in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saddhāsampanno hoti? And how is a lady accomplished in faith? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saddho hoti …pe… It’s when a lady has faith in the Realized One’s awakening … evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saddhāsampanno hoti. That’s how a lady is accomplished in faith.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo sīlasampanno hoti? And how is a lady accomplished in ethics? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti …pe… It’s when a lady doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti. or consume beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo sīlasampanno hoti. That’s how a lady is accomplished in ethics.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo cāgasampanno hoti? And how is a lady accomplished in generosity? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati …pe… It’s when she lives at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share. evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo cāgasampanno hoti. That’s how a lady is accomplished in generosity.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo paññāsampanno hoti? And how is a lady accomplished in wisdom? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo paññavā hoti …pe… It’s when a lady is wise. She has the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo paññāsampanno hoti. That’s how a lady is accomplished in wisdom.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo paralokavijayāya paṭipanno hoti, paraloko āraddho hotīti. A lady who possesses these four qualities is practicing to win in the next life, and she succeeds at it.

Susaṁvihitakammantā, She’s organized at work, saṅgahitaparijjanā; and manages the domestic help. Bhattu manāpaṁ carati, She’s agreeable to her husband, sambhataṁ anurakkhati. and preserves his wealth.

Saddhā sīlena sampannā, Faithful, accomplished in ethics, vadaññū vītamaccharā; being bountiful and rid of stinginess. Niccaṁ maggaṁ visodheti, She always purifies the path sotthānaṁ samparāyikaṁ. to well-being in lives to come.

Iccete aṭṭha dhammā ca, And so, a lady in whom yassā vijjanti nāriyā; these eight qualities are found Tampi sīlavatiṁ āhu, is known as virtuous, dhammaṭṭhaṁ saccavādiniṁ. firmly principled, and truthful.

Soḷasākārasampannā, Accomplished in sixteen respects, Aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgatā; complete with the eight factors, Tādisī sīlavatī upāsikā, a virtuous laywoman such as she Upapajjati devalokaṁ manāpan”ti. is reborn in the realm of the Agreeable Gods.”

Dasamaṁ.

Uposathavaggo pañcamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Saṅkhitte vitthate visākhe, Vāseṭṭho bojjhāya pañcamaṁ; Anuruddhaṁ puna visākhe, Nakulā idhalokikā dveti.

Paṭhamo paṇṇāsako samatto.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato