Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.53

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 4.53

6. Puññābhisandavagga
6. Overflowing Merit

Paṭhamasaṁvāsasutta

Living Together (1st)

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā antarā ca madhuraṁ antarā ca verañjaṁ addhānamaggappaṭipanno hoti.
At one time the Buddha was traveling along the road between Madhurā and Verañjā,

Sambahulāpi kho gahapatī ca gahapatāniyo ca antarā ca madhuraṁ antarā ca verañjaṁ addhānamaggappaṭipannā honti.
as were several householders, both women and men.

Atha kho bhagavā maggā okkamma aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle (…) nisīdi.
The Buddha left the road and sat at the root of a tree,

Addasaṁsu kho gahapatī ca gahapatāniyo ca bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle nisinnaṁ.
where the householders saw him.

Disvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho te gahapatī ca gahapatāniyo ca bhagavā etadavoca:
They went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to them:

“Cattārome, gahapatayo, saṁvāsā.
“Householders, there are four ways of living together.

Katame cattāro?
What four?

Chavo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati,
A male zombie living with a female zombie;

chavo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati,
a male zombie living with a goddess;

devo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati,
a god living with a female zombie;

devo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati.
a god living with a goddess.

Kathañca, gahapatayo, chavo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati?
And how does a male zombie live with a female zombie?

Idha, gahapatayo, sāmiko hoti pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāyī dussīlo pāpadhammo maccheramalapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati akkosakaparibhāsako samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ;
It’s when the husband kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, lies, and uses alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. He’s unethical, of bad character, living at home with his heart full of the stain of stinginess, abusing and insulting ascetics and brahmins.

bhariyāpissa hoti pāṇātipātinī adinnādāyinī kāmesumicchācārinī musāvādinī surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāyinī dussīlā pāpadhammā maccheramalapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati akkosikaparibhāsikā samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ.
And the wife is also … unethical, of bad character …

Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, chavo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati.
That’s how a male zombie lives with a female zombie.

Kathañca, gahapatayo, chavo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati?
And how does a male zombie live with a goddess?

bhariyā khvassa hoti pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā adinnādānā paṭiviratā kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratā musāvādā paṭiviratā surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratā sīlavatī kalyāṇadhammā vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati anakkosikaparibhāsikā samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ.
But the wife doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or use alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. She’s ethical, of good character, living at home with her heart rid of the stain of stinginess, not abusing and insulting ascetics and brahmins.

Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, chavo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati.
That’s how a male zombie lives with a goddess.

Kathañca, gahapatayo, devo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati?
And how does a god live with a female zombie?

Idha, gahapatayo, sāmiko hoti pāṇātipātā paṭivirato adinnādānā paṭivirato kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato musāvādā paṭivirato surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati anakkosakaparibhāsako samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ;
It’s when the husband … is ethical, of good character …

bhariyā khvassa hoti pāṇātipātinī …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāyinī dussīlā pāpadhammā maccheramalapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati akkosikaparibhāsikā samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ.
But the wife … is unethical, of bad character …

Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, devo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati.
That’s how a god lives with a female zombie.

Kathañca, gahapatayo, devo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati?
And how does a god live with a goddess?

Idha, gahapatayo, sāmiko hoti pāṇātipātā paṭivirato …pe… sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati anakkosakaparibhāsako samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ;
It’s when the husband … is ethical, of good character …

bhariyāpissa hoti pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratā sīlavatī kalyāṇadhammā vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati anakkosikaparibhāsikā samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ.
And the wife is also … ethical, of good character …

Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, devo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati.
That’s how a god lives with a goddess.

Ime kho, gahapatayo, cattāro saṁvāsāti.
These are the four ways of living together.

Ubho ca honti dussīlā,
When both are unethical,

kadariyā paribhāsakā;
miserly and abusive,

Te honti jānipatayo,
then wife and husband

chavā saṁvāsamāgatā.
live together as zombies.

Sāmiko hoti dussīlo,
When the husband is unethical,

kadariyo paribhāsako;
miserly and abusive,

Bhariyā sīlavatī hoti,
but the wife is ethical,

vadaññū vītamaccharā;
bountiful, rid of stinginess,

Sāpi devī saṁvasati,
she’s a goddess living

chavena patinā saha.
with a zombie for a husband.

Sāmiko sīlavā hoti,
When the husband is ethical,

vadaññū vītamaccharo;
bountiful, rid of stinginess,

Bhariyā hoti dussīlā,
but the wife is unethical,

kadariyā paribhāsikā;
miserly and abusive,

Sāpi chavā saṁvasati,
she’s a zombie living

devena patinā saha.
with a god for a husband.

Ubho saddhā vadaññū ca,
When both are faithful and bountiful,

saññatā dhammajīvino;
disciplined, living righteously,

Te honti jānipatayo,
then wife and husband

aññamaññaṁ piyaṁvadā.
say nice things to each other.

Atthāsaṁ pacurā honti,
They get all the things they need,

phāsukaṁ upajāyati;
so they live at ease.

Amittā dummanā honti,
Their enemies are downhearted,

ubhinnaṁ samasīlinaṁ.
when both are equal in ethics.

Idha dhammaṁ caritvāna,
Having practiced the teaching here,

samasīlabbatā ubho;
both equal in precepts and observances,

Nandino devalokasmiṁ,
they delight in the heavenly realm,

modanti kāmakāmino”ti.
enjoying all the pleasures they desire.”

Tatiyaṁ.