1.1PTS 4.263Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī in Ghosita’s monastery.

1.2Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā anuruddho divāvihāraṁ gato hoti paṭisallīno.Now at that time Venerable Anuruddha had gone into retreat for the day’s meditation.1.3Atha kho sambahulā manāpakāyikā devatā yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho tā devatā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavocuṁ:Then several deities of the Agreeable Host went up to Venerable Anuruddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:

1.4“mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, manāpakāyikā nāma devatā tīsu ṭhānesu issariyaṁ kārema vasaṁ vattema.“Honorable Anuruddha, we are the deities called ‘Agreeable’. We wield authority and control over three things.1.5Mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, yādisakaṁ vaṇṇaṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ vaṇṇaṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma;We can turn any color we want on the spot.1.6yādisakaṁ saraṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ saraṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma;We can get any voice that we want on the spot.1.7yādisakaṁ sukhaṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ sukhaṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma.We can get any pleasure that we want on the spot.1.8Mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, manāpakāyikā nāma devatā imesu tīsu ṭhānesu issariyaṁ kārema vasaṁ vattemā”ti.We are the deities called ‘Agreeable’. We wield authority and control over these three things.”

2.1Atha kho āyasmato anuruddhassa etadahosi:Then Venerable Anuruddha thought,2.2“aho vatimā devatā sabbāva nīlā assu nīlavaṇṇā nīlavatthā nīlālaṅkārā”ti.“If only these deities would all turn blue, of blue color, clad in blue, adorned with blue!”2.3Atha kho tā devatā āyasmato anuruddhassa cittamaññāya sabbāva nīlā ahesuṁ nīlavaṇṇā nīlavatthā nīlālaṅkārā.Then those deities, knowing Anuruddha’s thought, all turned blue.

3.1Atha kho āyasmato anuruddhassa etadahosi:Then Venerable Anuruddha thought,3.2“aho vatimā devatā sabbāva pītā assu …pe…“If only these deities would all turn yellow …”

3.3sabbāva lohitakā assu …“If only these gods would all turn red …”

3.4sabbāva odātā assu odātavaṇṇā odātavatthā odātālaṅkārā”ti.“If only these gods would all turn white …”3.5Atha kho tā devatā āyasmato anuruddhassa cittamaññāya sabbāva odātā ahesuṁ odātavaṇṇā odātavatthā odātālaṅkārā.Then those deities, knowing Anuruddha’s thought, all turned white.

4.1PTS 4.264Atha kho tā devatā ekā ca gāyi ekā ca nacci ekā ca accharaṁ vādesi.Then one of those deities sang, one danced, and one snapped her fingers.4.2Seyyathāpi nāma pañcaṅgikassa tūriyassa suvinītassa suppaṭipatāḷitassa kusalehi susamannāhatassa saddo hoti vaggu ca rajanīyo ca kamanīyo ca pemanīyo ca madanīyo ca;Suppose there was a quintet made up of skilled musicians who had practiced well and kept excellent rhythm. They’d sound graceful, tantalizing, sensuous, endearing, and intoxicating.4.3evamevaṁ tāsaṁ devatānaṁ alaṅkārānaṁ saddo hoti vaggu ca rajanīyo ca kamanīyo ca pemanīyo ca madanīyo ca.In the same way the performance by those deities sounded graceful, tantalizing, sensuous, endearing, and intoxicating.4.4Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho indriyāni okkhipi.But Venerable Anuruddha averted his senses.

5.1Atha kho tā devatā “na khvayyo anuruddho sādiyatī”ti tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu.Then those deities, thinking “Master Anuruddha isn’t enjoying this,” vanished right there.5.2Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā anuruddho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then in the late afternoon, Anuruddha came out of retreat and went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, adding:

6.1“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, divāvihāraṁ gato homi paṭisallīno.6.2Atha kho, bhante, sambahulā manāpakāyikā devatā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhante, tā devatā maṁ etadavocuṁ:6.3‘mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, manāpakāyikā nāma devatā tīsu ṭhānesu issariyaṁ kārema vasaṁ vattema.6.4Mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, yādisakaṁ vaṇṇaṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ vaṇṇaṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma;6.5yādisakaṁ saraṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ saraṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma;6.6yādisakaṁ sukhaṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ sukhaṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma.6.7Mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, manāpakāyikā nāma devatā imesu tīsu ṭhānesu issariyaṁ kārema vasaṁ vattemā’ti.6.8Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:6.9‘aho vatimā devatā sabbāva nīlā assu nīlavaṇṇā nīlavatthā nīlālaṅkārā’ti.6.10Atha kho, bhante, tā devatā mama cittamaññāya sabbāva nīlā ahesuṁ nīlavaṇṇā nīlavatthā nīlālaṅkārā.

7.1PTS 4.265Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:7.2‘aho vatimā devatā sabbāva pītā assu …pe…7.3sabbāva lohitakā assu …pe…7.4sabbāva odātā assu odātavaṇṇā odātavatthā odātālaṅkārā’ti.7.5Atha kho, bhante, tā devatā mama cittamaññāya sabbāva odātā ahesuṁ odātavaṇṇā odātavatthā odātālaṅkārā.

8.1Atha kho, bhante, tā devatā ekā ca gāyi ekā ca nacci ekā ca accharaṁ vādesi.8.2Seyyathāpi nāma pañcaṅgikassa tūriyassa suvinītassa suppaṭipatāḷitassa kusalehi susamannāhatassa saddo hoti vaggu ca rajanīyo ca kamanīyo ca pemanīyo ca madanīyo ca;8.3evamevaṁ tāsaṁ devatānaṁ alaṅkārānaṁ saddo hoti vaggu ca rajanīyo ca kamanīyo ca pemanīyo ca madanīyo ca.8.4Atha khvāhaṁ, bhante, indriyāni okkhipi.

9.1Atha kho, bhante, tā devatā ‘na khvayyo anuruddho sādiyatī’ti tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu.9.2Katihi nu kho, bhante, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti?“How many qualities do ladies have so that—when their body breaks up, after death—they are reborn in company with the Gods of the Agreeable Host?”

10.1“Aṭṭhahi kho, anuruddha, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.“Anuruddha, when they have eight qualities ladies—when their body breaks up, after death—are reborn in company with the Gods of the Agreeable Host.10.2Katamehi aṭṭhahi?What eight?

10.3Idha, anuruddha, mātugāmo yassa mātāpitaro bhattuno denti atthakāmā hitesino anukampakā anukampaṁ upādāya tassa hoti pubbuṭṭhāyinī pacchānipātinī kiṅkārapaṭissāvinī manāpacārinī piyavādinī.Take the case of a lady 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.

11.1Ye te bhattu garuno honti—She honors, respects, esteems, and venerates those her husband respects, such as11.2mātāti vā pitāti vā samaṇabrāhmaṇāti vā—mother and father, and ascetics and brahmins.11.3te sakkaroti, garuṁ karoti, māneti, pūjeti, abbhāgate ca āsanodakena paṭipūjeti.And when they arrive she serves them with a seat and water.

12.1Ye 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.

13.1PTS 4.266Yo 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.13.2tesaṁ 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.

14.1Yaṁ bhattu āharati dhanaṁ vā dhaññaṁ 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.

15.1Upāsikā 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.

16.1Sīlavatī kho pana hoti—She’s ethical.16.2pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā, adinnādānā paṭiviratā, kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratā, musāvādā paṭiviratā, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratā.She doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor.

17.1Cāgavatī kho pana hoti.She’s generous.17.2Vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgā payatapāṇinī vossaggaratā yācayogā dānasaṁvibhāgaratā.She lives at home with heart rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.

18.1Imehi kho, anuruddha, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatīti.When they possess these eight qualities ladies—when their body breaks up, after death—are reborn in company with the Gods of the Agreeable Host.

19.1Yo naṁ bharati sabbadā,She’d never look down on her husband,19.2niccaṁ ātāpi ussuko;who’s always eager to work hard,19.3Taṁ sabbakāmadaṁ posaṁ,always looking after her,19.4bhattāraṁ nātimaññati.and bringing whatever she wants.

20.1Na cāpi sotthi bhattāraṁ,And a good woman never scolds her husband20.2issāvādena rosaye;with jealous words.20.3Bhattu ca garuno sabbe,Being astute, she reveres20.4paṭipūjeti paṇḍitā.those respected by her husband.

21.1Uṭṭhāhikā analasā,She gets up early, works tirelessly,21.2saṅgahitaparijjanā;and manages the domestic help.21.3Bhattu manāpaṁ carati,She’s agreeable to her husband,21.4sambhataṁ anurakkhati.and preserves his wealth.

22.1Yā evaṁ vattati nārī,A lady who fulfills these duties22.2bhattu chandavasānugā;according to her husband’s desire,22.3Manāpā nāma te devā,is reborn among the gods22.4yattha sā upapajjatī”ti.called ‘Agreeable’.”

22.5Chaṭṭhaṁ.