sutta » an » an8 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.48

Nakulamātāsutta

With Nakula’s Mother on the Agreeable Gods

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bhaggesu viharati susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye.
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Bhaggas at Crocodile Hill, in the deer park at Bhesakaḷā’s Wood.

Atha kho nakulamātā gahapatānī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā …pe…. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho nakulamātaraṁ gahapatāniṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
Then the housewife Nakula’s mother went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to her:

“Aṭṭhahi kho, nakulamāte, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
“Nakula’s mother, when they have eight qualities females—when their body breaks up, after death—are reborn in company with the Gods of the Agreeable Host.

Katamehi aṭṭhahi?
What eight?

Idha, nakulamāte, mātugāmo yassa mātāpitaro bhattuno denti atthakāmā hitesino anukampakā anukampaṁ upādāya tassa hoti pubbuṭṭhāyinī pacchānipātinī kiṅkārapaṭissāvinī manāpacārinī piyavādinī.
Take the case of a female whose mother and father give her to a husband wanting what’s best for her, out of kindness and sympathy. She would get up before him and go to bed after him, and be obliging, behaving nicely and speaking politely.

Ye te bhattu garuno honti—
She honors, respects, esteems, and venerates those her husband respects, such as

mātāti vā pitāti vā samaṇabrāhmaṇāti vā—
mother and father, and ascetics and brahmins.

te sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti, abbhāgate ca āsanodakena paṭipūjeti.
And when they arrive she serves them with a seat and water.

Ye te bhattu abbhantarā kammantā—uṇṇāti vā kappāsāti vā—tattha dakkhā hoti analasā tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgatā alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ.
She’s deft and tireless in her husband’s household duties, such as knitting and sewing. She understands how to go about things in order to complete and organize the work.

Yo so bhattu abbhantaro antojano—dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā—
She knows what work her husband’s domestic bondservants, servants, and workers have completed, and what they’ve left incomplete.

tesaṁ katañca katato jānāti akatañca akatato jānāti, gilānakānañca balābalaṁ jānāti khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyañcassa paccaṁsena saṁvibhajati.
She knows who is sick, and who is fit or unwell. She distributes to each a fair portion of fresh and cooked foods.

Yaṁ bhattā āharati dhanaṁ vā dhaññaṁ vā rajataṁ vā jātarūpaṁ vā taṁ ārakkhena guttiyā sampādeti, tattha ca hoti adhuttī athenī asoṇḍī avināsikā.
She ensures that any income her husband earns is guarded and protected, whether money, grain, silver, or gold. She doesn’t overspend, steal, waste, or lose it.

Upāsikā kho pana hoti buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā.
She’s a lay follower who has gone for refuge to the Buddha, his teaching, and the Saṅgha.

Sīlavatī kho pana hoti—
She’s ethical.

pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratā …pe….
She doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants.

Cāgavatī kho pana hoti vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgā payatapāṇinī vossaggaratā yācayogā dānasaṁvibhāgaratā.
She’s generous. 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.

Imehi kho, nakulamāte, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatīti.
When they have these eight qualities females—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,

Taṁ sabbakāmadaṁ posaṁ,
always looking after her,

bhattāraṁ nātimaññati.
and bringing whatever she wants.

Na cāpi sotthi bhattāraṁ,
And a good woman never scolds her husband

issāvādena 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 vattati nārī,
A lady who fulfills these duties

bhattu chandavasānugā;
according to her husband’s desire,

Manāpā nāma te devā,
is reborn among the gods

yattha sā upapajjatī”ti.
called ‘Agreeable’.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.