1At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Bhaggas on Crocodile Hill, in the deer park at Bhesakaḷā’s Wood. Then the housewife Nakula’s mother went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to her:

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2“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 Lovable Host. What eight?

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 compassion. She would get up before him and go to bed after him, and be obliging, behaving nicely and speaking politely.

3She honors, respects, esteems, and venerates those her husband respects, such as mother and father, and ascetics and brahmins. And when they arrive she serves them with a seat and water.

4She’s skilled 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.

5She 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 various foods.

6She 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.

7She’s a lay follower who has gone for refuge to the Buddha, his teaching, and the Saṅgha.

8She’s ethical. She doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or use alcoholic drinks that cause negligence.

9She’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.

10When they have these eight qualities females — when their body breaks up, after death — are reborn in company with the Gods of the Lovable Host.

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11She’d never look down on her husband,
who’s always keen to work hard,
always looking after her,
and bringing whatever she wants.

12And a good woman never scolds her husband
with jealous words.
Being astute, she reveres
those respected by her husband.

13She gets up early, works tirelessly,
and manages the domestic help.
She’s loveable to her husband,
and preserves his wealth.

14A lady who fulfills these duties
according to her husband’s desire,
is reborn among the gods
called ‘Loveable’.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bhaggesu viharati susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye. Atha kho nakulamātā gahapatānī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā … pe … . Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho nakulamātaraṁ gahapatāniṁ bhagavā etadavoca: 

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2"Aṭṭhahi kho, nakulamāte, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Katamehi aṭṭhahi?

Idha, nakulamāte, mātugāmo yassa mātāpitaro bhattuno denti atthakāmā hitesino anukampakā anukampaṁ upādāya tassa hoti pubbuṭṭhāyinī pacchānipātinī kiṅkārapaṭissāvinī manāpacārinī piyavādinī. (1)

3Ye te bhattu garuno honti – mātāti vā pitāti vā samaṇabrāhmaṇāti vā – te sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti, abbhāgate ca āsanodakena paṭipūjeti. (2)

4Ye te bhattu abbhantarā kammantā – uṇṇāti vā kappāsāti vā – tattha dakkhā hoti analasā tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgatā alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ. (3)

5Yo so bhattu abbhantaro antojano – dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā – tesaṁ katañca katato jānāti akatañca akatato jānāti, gilānakānañca balābalaṁ jānāti khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyañcassa paccaṁsena saṁvibhajati. (4)

6Yaṁ bhattā āharati dhanaṁ vā dhaññaṁ vā rajataṁ vā jātarūpaṁ vā taṁ ārakkhena guttiyā sampādeti, tattha ca hoti adhuttī athenī asoṇḍī avināsikā. (5)

7Upāsikā kho pana hoti buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā. (6)

8Sīlavatī kho pana hoti – pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā … pe … surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratā … pe … . (7)

9Cāgavatī kho pana hoti vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgā payatapāṇinī vossaggaratā yācayogā dānasaṁvibhāgaratā. (8)

10Imehi kho, nakulamāte, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatīti.

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11Yo naṁ bharati sabbadā,
niccaṁ ātāpi ussuko;
Taṁ sabbakāmadaṁ posaṁ,
bhattāraṁ nātimaññati.

12Na cāpi sotthi bhattāraṁ,
issāvādena rosaye;
Bhattu ca garuno sabbe,
paṭipūjeti paṇḍitā.

13Uṭṭhāhikā analasā,
saṅgahitaparijjanā;
Bhattu manāpaṁ carati,
sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

14Yā evaṁ vattati nārī,
bhattu chandavasānugā;
Manāpā nāma te devā,
yattha sā upapajjatī"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.