4. Sumanavagga

Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.33

Numbered Discourses 5.33

4. Sumanavagga

4. With Sumanā

Uggahasutta

With Uggaha

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bhaddiye viharati jātiyā vane.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Bhaddiya, in Jātiyā Wood.

Atha kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Uggaha, Meṇḍaka’s grandson, went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

“Adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā svātanāya attacatuttho bhattan”ti.

“Sir, would the Buddha, together with three other monks, please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?”

Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

The Buddha consented with silence.

Atha kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, Uggaha got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena uggahassa meṇḍakanattuno nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Then when the night had passed, the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to Uggaha’s home, where he sat on the seat spread out.

Atha kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā bhagavantaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.

Then Uggaha served and satisfied the Buddha with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.

Atha kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, Uggaha sat down to one side,

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

and said to him,

“imā me, bhante, kumāriyo patikulāni gamissanti.

“Sir, these girls of mine will be going to their husbands’ families.

Ovadatu tāsaṁ, bhante, bhagavā;

May the Buddha please advise

anusāsatu tāsaṁ, bhante, bhagavā, yaṁ tāsaṁ assa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.

and instruct them. It will be for their lasting welfare and happiness.”

Atha kho bhagavā tā kumāriyo etadavoca:

Then the Buddha said to those girls:

“tasmātiha, kumāriyo, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

“So, girls, you should train like this:

‘yassa vo mātāpitaro bhattuno dassanti atthakāmā hitesino anukampakā anukampaṁ upādāya, tassa bhavissāma pubbuṭṭhāyiniyo pacchānipātiniyo kiṅkārapaṭissāviniyo manāpacāriniyo piyavādiniyo’ti.

‘Our parents will give us to a husband wanting what’s best, out of kindness and sympathy. We will get up before him and go to bed after him, and be obliging, behaving nicely and speaking politely.’

Evañhi vo, kumāriyo, sikkhitabbaṁ.

That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha, kumāriyo, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

So, girls, you should train like this:

‘ye te bhattu garuno bhavissanti mātāti vā pitāti vā samaṇabrāhmaṇāti vā, te sakkarissāma garuṁ karissāma mānessāma pūjessāma abbhāgate ca āsanodakena paṭipūjessāmā’ti.

‘Those our husband respects—mother and father, ascetics and brahmins—we will honor, respect, revere, and venerate, and serve with a seat and a drink when they come as guests.’

Evañhi vo, kumāriyo, sikkhitabbaṁ.

That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha, kumāriyo, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

So, girls, you should train like this:

‘ye te bhattu abbhantarā kammantā uṇṇāti vā kappāsāti vā, tattha dakkhā bhavissāma analasā, tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgatā, alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātun’ti.

‘We will be deft and tireless in doing domestic duties for our husband, such as knitting and sewing. We will have an understanding of how to go about things in order to complete and organize the work.’

Evañhi vo, kumāriyo, sikkhitabbaṁ.

That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha, kumāriyo, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

So, girls, you should train like this:

‘yo so bhattu abbhantaro antojano dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tesaṁ katañca katato jānissāma akatañca akatato jānissāma, gilānakānañca balābalaṁ jānissāma, khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyañcassa paccaṁsena saṁvibhajissāmā’ti.

‘We will know what work our husband’s domestic bondservants, servants, and workers have completed, and what they’ve left incomplete. We will know who is sick, and who is fit or unwell. We will distribute to each a fair portion of fresh and cooked foods.’

Evañhi vo, kumāriyo, sikkhitabbaṁ.

That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha, kumāriyo, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

So, girls, you should train like this:

‘yaṁ bhattā āharissati dhanaṁ vā dhaññaṁ vā rajataṁ vā jātarūpaṁ vā, taṁ ārakkhena guttiyā sampādessāma, tattha ca bhavissāma adhuttī athenī asoṇḍī avināsikāyo’ti.

‘We will ensure that any income our husbands earn is guarded and protected, whether money, grain, silver, or gold. We will not overspend, steal, waste, or lose it.’

Evañhi vo, kumāriyo, sikkhitabbaṁ.

That’s how you should train.

Imehi kho, kumāriyo, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatīti.

When they possess these five qualities, ladies—when their body breaks up, after death—are reborn in company with the Gods of the Agreeable Host.

Yo naṁ bharati sabbadā,

She’d never look down on her husband,

niccaṁ ātāpi ussuko;

who’s always eager to work hard,

Sabbakāmaharaṁ posaṁ,

always looking after her,

bhattāraṁ nātimaññati.

and bringing whatever she wants.

Na cāpi sotthi bhattāraṁ,

And a good woman never scolds her husband

issācārena rosaye;

with jealous words.

Bhattu ca garuno sabbe,

Being astute, she reveres

paṭipūjeti paṇḍitā.

those respected by her husband.

Uṭṭhāhikā analasā,

She gets up early, works tirelessly,

saṅgahitaparijjanā;

and manages the domestic help.

Bhattu manāpaṁ carati,

She’s agreeable to her husband,

sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

and preserves his wealth.

Yā evaṁ vattatī nārī,

A lady who fulfills these duties

bhattuchandavasānugā;

according to her husband’s desire,

Manāpā nāma te devā,

is reborn among the gods

yattha sā upapajjatī”ti.

called ‘Agreeable’.”

Tatiyaṁ.