AN 8 The Book of the Eights – Aṭṭhakanipāta > AN 8.48 With Nakula’s Mother on the Loveable Gods

Numbered Discourses 8.48 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.48

5. Sabbath – 5. Uposathavagga

AN 8.48 With Nakula’s Mother on the Loveable Gods – Nakulamātāsutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Bhaggas on Crocodile Hill, in the deer park at Bhesakaḷā’s Wood.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bhaggesu viharati susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye.

1.2

Then the housewife Nakula’s mother went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to her:

Atha kho nakulamātā gahapatānī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā …pe…. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho nakulamātaraṁ gahapatāniṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

2.1

“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.

“Aṭṭhahi kho, nakulamāte, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

2.2

What eight?

Katamehi aṭṭhahi?

2.3

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.

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

3.1

She honors, respects, esteems, and venerates those her husband respects, such as

Ye te bhattu garuno honti—

3.2

mother and father, and ascetics and brahmins.

mātāti vā pitāti vā samaṇabrāhmaṇāti vā—

3.3

And when they arrive she serves them with a seat and water.

te sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti, abbhāgate ca āsanodakena paṭipūjeti.

4.1

She’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.

Ye te bhattu abbhantarā kammantā—uṇṇāti vā kappāsāti vā—tattha dakkhā hoti analasā tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgatā alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ.

5.1

She knows what work her husband’s domestic bondservants, employees, and workers have completed, and what they’ve left incomplete.

Yo so bhattu abbhantaro antojano—dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā—

5.2

She knows who is sick, and who is fit or unwell. She distributes to each a fair portion of various foods.

tesaṁ katañca katato jānāti akatañca akatato jānāti, gilānakānañca balābalaṁ jānāti khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyañcassa paccaṁsena saṁvibhajati.

6.1

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.

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

7.1

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

Upāsikā kho pana hoti buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā.

8.1

She’s ethical.

Sīlavatī kho pana hoti—

8.2

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

pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratā …pe….

9.1

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.

Cāgavatī kho pana hoti vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgā payatapāṇinī vossaggaratā yācayogā dānasaṁvibhāgaratā.

10.1

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

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

11.1

She’d never look down on her husband,

Yo naṁ bharati sabbadā,

11.2

who’s always eager to work hard,

niccaṁ ātāpi ussuko;

11.3

always looking after her,

Taṁ sabbakāmadaṁ posaṁ,

11.4

and bringing whatever she wants.

bhattāraṁ nātimaññati.

12.1

And a good woman never scolds her husband

Na cāpi sotthi bhattāraṁ,

12.2

with jealous words.

issāvādena rosaye;

12.3

Being astute, she reveres

Bhattu ca garuno sabbe,

12.4

those respected by her husband.

paṭipūjeti paṇḍitā.

13.1

She gets up early, works tirelessly,

Uṭṭhāhikā analasā,

13.2

and manages the domestic help.

saṅgahitaparijjanā;

13.3

She’s loveable to her husband,

Bhattu manāpaṁ carati,

13.4

and preserves his wealth.

sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

14.1

A lady who fulfills these duties

Yā evaṁ vattati nārī,

14.2

according to her husband’s desire,

bhattu chandavasānugā;

14.3

is reborn among the gods

Manāpā nāma te devā,

14.4

called ‘Loveable’.”

yattha sā upapajjatī”ti.

14.5

Aṭṭhamaṁ.