sutta » sn » sn9 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.8

Kulagharaṇīsutta

Family Mistress The Mistress of the House

Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.
On one occasion a certain bhikkhu was dwelling among the Kosalans in a certain woodland thicket.
At one time one of the monks was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.

Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu aññatarasmiṁ kule ativelaṁ ajjhogāḷhappatto viharati.
Now on that occasion that bhikkhu had become excessively intimate with a certain family.
Now at that time that monk had become too closely involved in the affairs of a certain family.

Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yā tasmiṁ kule kulagharaṇī, tassā vaṇṇaṁ abhinimminitvā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then the devatā that inhabited that woodland thicket, having compassion for that bhikkhu, desiring his good, desiring to stir up a sense of urgency in him, manifested herself in the form of the mistress of that family. Having approached that bhikkhu, she addressed him in verse:
The deity haunting that forest had compassion for that monk, wanting what’s best for him. So, wanting to stir him up, they manifested in the appearance of the mistress of that family, approached the monk, and addressed him in verse:

“Nadītīresu saṇṭhāne,
“By the riverbanks and in the rest house,
“On the banks of the rivers and in the guest houses,

sabhāsu rathiyāsu ca;
In the meeting halls and along the roads,
in halls and highways,

Janā saṅgamma mantenti,
People meet and gossip about this:
people come together and gossip:

mañca tañca kimantaran”ti.
What’s going on between you and me?”
what’s going on between you and me?”

“Bahūhi saddā paccūhā,
“There are many disagreeable sounds
“There are lots of annoying sounds

khamitabbā tapassinā;
That an ascetic must patiently endure.
that an austere ascetic must endure.

Na tena maṅku hotabbaṁ,
One should not be dismayed because of that,
But they mustn’t be dismayed by that,

na hi tena kilissati.
For it is not by this one is defiled.
for that’s not what defiles you.

Yo ca saddaparittāsī,
“If one is frightened by random sounds
If you’re startled by every little sound,

vane vātamigo yathā;
Like an antelope dwelling in the woods,
like a wind-deer in the wood,

Lahucittoti taṁ āhu,
They call him ‘one with a fickle mind’:
they’ll call you ‘flighty minded’;

nāssa sampajjate vatan”ti.
His practice does not succeed.
and your practice won’t succeed.”