46(6)Anuruddha
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's Park.
Now on that occasion the Venerable Anuruddha had gone off to pass the day and was in seclusion
when a number of agreeable-bodied deities approached him,
paid homage to him,stood to one side,
and said to him:
In relation to 5:33,Mp identifies these deities with the"devas who delight in creation"(nimmanaratino deva).Mp relates the origin of the present sutta thus:"It is said that those deities,having examined their own glory,asked themselves:'How did we obtain such glory?'Reflecting,they saw Anuruddha and knew: In the past,when he was a wheel-turning monarch,we were his consorts.We accepted his guidance and thus we have obtained this glory.Let's go.We will bring the elder and [together]we will enjoy(anubhavissama)this glory.'Thus during the day they approached Anuruddha.""Bhante Anuruddha,we[263]agreeable-bodied deities exert mastery and exercise control over three things.
We immediately acquire whatever color we want.
We immediately acquire whatever voice we want.
And we immediately acquire what-ever pleasure we want.
We agreeable-bodied deities exert mastery and exercise control over these three things."
Then the Venerable Anuruddha thought:
"May all these deities become blue,of blue complexion,with blue clothes and blue ornaments."
Having known the Venerable Anuruddha's thought,those deities all became blue,of blue complexion,with blue clothes and blue ornaments.
Then the Venerable Anuruddha thought:
"May all these deities become yellow...red...white,of white complexion,with white clothes and white ornaments."
Having known the Venerable Anuruddha's thought,those deities all became white,of white complexion,with white clothes and white ornaments.
Then one of those deities sang,one danced,and one snapped her fingers.
Just as,when a musical quintet is well trained and its rhythm well coordinated,
Suppatipatalitassa.Patipatalita is not in PED,but SED sv prati> pratitala,explained as."in music,a kind of measure."Mp(Ce) glosses suppatipatalitassa aspamanenathitabhavajananattham sutthu patipatalitassa,which I would translate:"well coordinated for the purpose of maintaining a particular measure."and it is composed of skilled musicians,its music is exquisite,tantalizing,lovely,captivating,and intoxicating,[264]just so those deities'performance was exquisite,tantalizing,lovely,captivating,and intoxicating.
Thereupon the Venerable Anuruddha drew in his sense faculties.
Then those deities,[thinking:]"Master Anuruddha is not enjoying [this],"disappeared right on the spot.
Ta devata'na khvayyo anuruddho sadiyati'titatth'ev'antaradhayimsu. Mp:"[The deities thought:]'Master Anuruddha does not enjoy our dancing and singing.He closes his eyes and refuses to look at us.Why should we go on dancing and singing?'Then they disappeared right there."Then,in the evening,the Venerable Anuruddha emerged from seclusion and approached the Blessed One.
He paid homage to the Blessed One,sat down to one side,
and said to
him:
"Here,Bhante,I had gone off to pass the day and was in seclusion...[He reports everything that happened down to:][265]...
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Then those deities,[thinking:]'Master Anuruddha is not enjoying [this],'disappeared right on the spot.
"Bhante,how many qualities should a woman possess so that,with the breakup of the body,after death,she is reborn in companionship with the agreeable-bodied deities?"
"If she possesses eight qualities,Anuruddha,a woman,withthe breakup of the body,after death,is reborn in companionship with the agreeable-bodied deities.
What eight?
The first five items here are substantially identical with those mentioned at 5:33,except for the grammatical changes needed to adapt to the context.(1)"Here,Anuruddha,to whichever husband her parents give her--doing so out of a desire for her good,seeking her welfare,taking compassion on her,acting out of compassion for her—-a woman rises before him and retires after him,undertaking whatever needs to be done,agreeable in her conduct and pleasing in her speech.
(2)"She honors,respects,esteems,and venerates those whom her husband respects-~his mother and father,ascetics and brahmins-—and when they arrive she offers them a seat and water.
(3)“She is skillful and diligent in attending to her husband's domestic chores,whether knitting or weaving;she possesses sound judgment about them in order to carry out and arrangethem properly.
(4)“She finds out what her husband's domestic helpers[266]—whether slaves,messengers,or workers—have done and left undone;she finds out the condition of those who are ill;and she distributes to each an appropriate portion of food.
(5)"She guards and protects whatever income her husband brings home—whether money,grain,silver,or gold
I read with Ee rajatam va jatarupamt va,as at 5:33.Neither Ce nor Be includes rajatam here but all three editions include it at 8:49 just below.—and she is not a spend thrift,thief,wastrel,or squanderer of his earnings.
(6)"She is a female lay follower who has gone for refuge to the Buddha,the Dhamma,and the Sangha.
(7)"She is virtuous,abstaining from the destruction of life,taking what is not given,sexual misconduct,false speech,andliquor,wine,and intoxicants,the basis for heedlessness.
(8)"She is generous,
one who dwells at home with a heart devoid of the stain of miserliness,freely generous,open handed,delighting in relinquishment,devoted to charity,delighting in giving and sharing.
"Possessing these eight qualities,Anuruddha,a woman,with the breakup of the body,after death,is reborn in companionship with the agreeable-bodied deities."
She does not despise her husband,the man who constantly supports her,
who ardently and eagerly always brings her whatever she wants.
I read with Be and Ee(and Ce at 5:33)sabbakamaharam,as against Ce sabbakāmadam here.
Nor does a good woman scold her husband with speech caused by jealousy;
All three editions read here issavadena.In contrast,in 5:33 the three read this phrase differently.See p.1726,note 1010.
the wise woman shows veneration to all those whom her husband reveres.
She rises early,works diligently,manages the domestic help;
she treats her husband in agreeable ways and safeguards the wealth he earns.
The woman who fulfills her duties thus,following her husband's will and wishes,
is reborn among the devas called"the agreeable ones."[267]