SN 37.26PTS SN 4.2461 min read

Under Her Thumb

Pasayhasutta

A woman with five powers lives at home having won over her husband.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 37.26Linked Discourses 37.26
0.23. Balavagga3. Powers

0.3PasayhasuttaUnder Her Thumb

1.1“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, mātugāmassa balāni.“Mendicants, there are these five powers of a lady.1.2Katamāni pañca?What five?1.3Rūpabalaṁ, bhogabalaṁ, ñātibalaṁ, puttabalaṁ, sīlabalaṁ—Attractiveness, wealth, relatives, children, and ethical behavior.1.4imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca mātugāmassa balāni.These are the five powers of a lady.1.5Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi balehi samannāgato mātugāmo sāmikaṁ pasayha agāraṁ ajjhāvasatī”ti.A lady living at home with these five powers has her husband under her thumb.”¹

1.6Dutiyaṁ.

Translator’s notes

“Under her thumb”, literally, “having vanquished her husband” (sāmikaṁ pasayha), like Indra’s wife Sujā (Rig Veda 10.159; see note at SN 11.12:6.1).
↩ sn37.26:1.5