Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.50

Numbered Discourses 8.50

5. Uposathavagga

5. Uposatha 

Dutiyaidhalokikasutta

Winning in This Life (2nd)

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo idhalokavijayāya paṭipanno hoti, ayaṁsa loko āraddho hoti. Katamehi catūhi?

“Bhikkhus, a female who has four qualities is practicing to win in this life, and she succeeds at it. What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo susaṁvihitakammanto hoti, saṅgahitaparijano, bhattu manāpaṁ carati, sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

It’s when a female is well-organized at work, manages the domestic help, acts lovingly toward her husband, and preserves his earnings.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo susaṁvihitakammanto hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo ye te bhattu abbhantarā kammantā …pe… evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo susaṁvihitakammanto hoti.

And how is a female well-organized at work? It’s when she’s skilled and tireless in doing domestic duties for her husband … That’s how a female is well-organized at work.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saṅgahitaparijano hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo yo so bhattu abbhantaro antojano …pe… evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saṅgahitaparijano hoti.

And how does a female manage the domestic help? It’s when she knows what work her husband’s domestic bondservants, employees, 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. That’s how a female manages the domestic help.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo bhattu manāpaṁ carati? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo yaṁ bhattu amanāpasaṅkhātaṁ taṁ jīvitahetupi na ajjhācarati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo bhattu manāpaṁ carati.

And how does a female act lovingly toward her husband? It’s when a female would not transgress in any way that her husband would not consider lovable, even for the sake of her own life. That’s how a female acts lovingly toward her husband.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo sambhataṁ anurakkhati? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo yaṁ bhattā āharati …pe… evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

And how does a female preserve his earnings? It’s when she tries to guard and protect any income her husband earns … That’s how a female preserves his earnings.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo idhalokavijayāya paṭipanno hoti, ayaṁsa loko āraddho hoti.

A female who has 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. Katamehi catūhi? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saddhāsampanno hoti, sīlasampanno hoti, cāgasampanno hoti, paññāsampanno hoti.

A female who has four qualities is practicing to win in the next life, and she succeeds at it. What four? It’s when a female is accomplished in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saddhāsampanno hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saddho hoti …pe… evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo saddhāsampanno hoti.

And how is a female accomplished in faith? It’s when a female has faith in the Realized One’s awakening … That’s how a female is accomplished in faith.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo sīlasampanno hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo sīlasampanno hoti.

And how is a female accomplished in ethics? It’s when a female doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. That’s how a female is accomplished in ethics.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo cāgasampanno hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati …pe… evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo cāgasampanno hoti.

And how is a female accomplished in generosity? 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. That’s how a female is accomplished in generosity.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, mātugāmo paññāsampanno hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, mātugāmo paññavā hoti …pe… evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmo paññāsampanno hoti.

And how is a female accomplished in wisdom? It’s when a female is wise. She has the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. That’s how a female is accomplished in wisdom.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo paralokavijayāya paṭipanno hoti, paraloko āraddho hotīti.

A female who has these four qualities is practicing to win in the next life, and she succeeds at it.

Susaṁvihitakammantā, saṅgahitaparijjanā; Bhattu manāpaṁ carati, sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

She’s organized at work, and manages the domestic help. She’s lovable to her husband, and preserves his wealth.

Saddhā sīlena sampannā, vadaññū vītamaccharā; Niccaṁ maggaṁ visodheti, sotthānaṁ samparāyikaṁ.

Faithful, accomplished in ethics, being bountiful and rid of stinginess. She always purifies the path to well-being in lives to come.

Iccete aṭṭha dhammā ca, yassā vijjanti nāriyā; Tampi sīlavatiṁ āhu, dhammaṭṭhaṁ saccavādiniṁ.

And so, a lady in whom these eight qualities are found is known as virtuous, firm in principle, and truthful.

Soḷasākārasampannā, Aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgatā; Tādisī sīlavatī upāsikā, Upapajjati devalokaṁ manāpan”ti.

Accomplished in sixteen respects, complete with the eight factors, a virtuous laywoman such as she is reborn in the realm of the Lovable Gods.”

Dasamaṁ.

Uposathavaggo pañcamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

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

Paṭhamo paṇṇāsako samatto.