AN 5.33

Uggahasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bhaddiye viharati jātiyā vane. Atha kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

With Uggaha

At one time the Buddha was staying near Bhaddiya in Jātiyā Wood. Then Uggaha, Meṇḍaka’s grandson, went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

“Adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā svātanāya attacatuttho bhattan”ti. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena. Atha kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

“Sir, would the Buddha, together with three other monks, please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?” The Buddha consented with silence. Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, Uggaha rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena uggahassa meṇḍakanattuno nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Atha kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā bhagavantaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi. Atha kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho uggaho meṇḍakanattā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “imā me, bhante, kumāriyo patikulāni gamissanti. Ovadatu tāsaṁ, bhante, bhagavā; anusāsatu tāsaṁ, bhante, bhagavā, yaṁ tāsaṁ assa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.

Then when the night had passed, the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to Uggaha’s home, where he sat down on the seat spread out. Then Uggaha served and satisfied the Buddha with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods. When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, Uggaha sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, these girls of mine will be going to their husbands’ families. May the Buddha please advise and instruct them. It will be for their lasting welfare and happiness.”

Atha kho bhagavā tā kumāriyo etadavoca: “tasmātiha, kumāriyo, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘yassa vo mātāpitaro bhattuno dassanti atthakāmā hitesino anukampakā anukampaṁ upādāya, tassa bhavissāma pubbuṭṭhāyiniyo pacchānipātiniyo kiṅkārapaṭissāviniyo manāpacāriniyo piyavādiniyo’ti. Evañhi vo, kumāriyo, sikkhitabbaṁ.

Then the Buddha said to those girls: “So, girls, you should train like this: ‘Our parents will give us to a husband wanting what’s best, out of kindness and sympathy. We will get up before him and go to bed after him, and be obliging, behaving nicely and speaking politely.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha, kumāriyo, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘ye te bhattu garuno bhavissanti mātāti vā pitāti vā samaṇabrāhmaṇāti vā, te sakkarissāma garuṁ karissāma mānessāma pūjessāma abbhāgate ca āsanodakena paṭipūjessāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, kumāriyo, sikkhitabbaṁ.

So, girls, you should train like this: ‘Those our husband respects—mother and father, ascetics and brahmins—we will honor, respect, revere, and venerate, and serve with a seat and a drink when they come as guests.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha, kumāriyo, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘ye te bhattu abbhantarā kammantā uṇṇāti vā kappāsāti vā, tattha dakkhā bhavissāma analasā, tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgatā, alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātun’ti. Evañhi vo, kumāriyo, sikkhitabbaṁ.

So, girls, you should train like this: ‘We will be deft and tireless in doing domestic duties for our husband, such as knitting and sewing. We will have an understanding of how to go about things in order to complete and organize the work.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha, kumāriyo, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘yo so bhattu abbhantaro antojano dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tesaṁ katañca katato jānissāma akatañca akatato jānissāma, gilānakānañca balābalaṁ jānissāma, khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyañcassa paccaṁsena saṁvibhajissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, kumāriyo, sikkhitabbaṁ.

So, girls, you should train like this: ‘We will know what work our husband’s domestic bondservants, servants, and workers have completed, and what they’ve left incomplete. We will know who is sick, and who is fit or unwell. We will distribute to each a fair portion of fresh and cooked foods.’ That’s how you should train.

Tasmātiha, kumāriyo, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘yaṁ bhattā āharissati dhanaṁ vā dhaññaṁ vā rajataṁ vā jātarūpaṁ vā, taṁ ārakkhena guttiyā sampādessāma, tattha ca bhavissāma adhuttī athenī asoṇḍī avināsikāyo’ti. Evañhi vo, kumāriyo, sikkhitabbaṁ. Imehi kho, kumāriyo, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatīti.

So, girls, you should train like this: ‘We will ensure that any income our husbands earn is guarded and protected, whether money, grain, silver, or gold. We will not overspend, steal, waste, or lose it.’ That’s how you should train. When they possess these five qualities, ladies—when their body breaks up, after death—are reborn in company with the Gods of the Agreeable Host.

Yo naṁ bharati sabbadā, niccaṁ ātāpi ussuko; Sabbakāmaharaṁ posaṁ, bhattāraṁ nātimaññati.

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

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

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

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

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

Yā evaṁ vattatī nārī, bhattuchandavasānugā; Manāpā nāma te devā, yattha sā upapajjatī”ti.

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