1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and robe, and went to the residence of the householder Anāthapiṇḍika, where he sat down on the seat that was prepared for him.

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Now on that occasion, people in Anāthapiṇḍika's residence were making an uproar and a racket. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him:

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2"Householder, why are people in your residence making such an uproar and a racket? One would think it was fishermen at a haul of fish."

"This, Bhante, is my daughter-in-law Sujātā, who is rich and has been brought here from a rich family. She doesn’t obey her father-in-law, her mother-in-law, or her husband. She doesn’t even honor, respect, esteem, and venerate the Blessed One."

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3Then the Blessed One addressed Sujātā: "Come here, Sujātā."

"Yes, Bhante," she replied. She went to the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to her:

4"Sujātā, a man might have seven kinds of wives. What seven? One like a killer, one like a thief, one like a tyrant, one like a mother, one like a sister, one like a friend, and one like a slave. A man might have these seven kinds of wives. Which one are you?"

"Bhante, I do not understand in detail the meaning of this statement that the Blessed One has spoken in brief. Please let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma in such a way that I might understand in detail the meaning of this statement spoken in brief."

"Then listen and attend closely, Sujātā. I will speak."

"Yes, Bhante," she replied. The Blessed One said this:

5"With hateful mind, devoid of sympathy,
lusting for others, despising her husband,
she seeks to kill the one who bought her with wealth:
a wife like this is called a wife and a killer.

6"When the woman's husband acquires wealth
by toiling at a craft, trade, or farming,
she tries to steal it, even if he earns but little:
a wife like this is called a wife and a thief.

7"The lazy glutton, unwilling to work,
harsh, fierce, rough in speech,
a woman who dominates her own supporters:
a wife like this is called a wife and a tyrant.

8"One always benevolent and sympathetic,
who guards her husband as a mother her son,
who protects the wealth he earns:
a wife like this is called a wife and a mother.

9"She who holds her husband in high regard
as younger sister her elder brother,
conscientious, following her husband's will:
a wife like this is called a wife and a sister.

10"One who rejoices when she sees her husband
as if seeing a friend after a long absence;
well raised, virtuous, devoted to her husband:
a wife like this is called a wife and a friend.

11"One who remains patient and calm,
when threatened with violence by the rod, [n.1559] Vadhadaṇḍatajjitā. Mp: "When her husband grabs a rod and threatens her with murder, saying: ‘I’ll kill you’" (daṇḍakaṁ gahetvā vadhena tajjitā, ‘‘ghātessāmi nan" ti vuttā).
who tolerates her husband with a mind free of hate,
patient, submissive to her husband's will:
a wife like this is called a wife and a slave.

12"The types of wives here called
a killer, a thief, and a tyrant,
immoral, harsh, disrespectful,
with the body's breakup go to hell.

13"But the types of wives here called
mother, sister, friend, and slave,
firm in virtue, long restrained,
with the body's breakup go to heaven.

14"A man, Sujātā, might have these seven kinds of wives. Now which one are you?"

"Beginning today, Bhante, let the Blessed One consider me a wife who is like a slave."

1Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

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Tena kho pana samayena anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa nivesane manussā uccāsaddā mahāsaddā honti. Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

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2"Kiṁ nu te, gahapati, nivesane manussā uccāsaddā mahāsaddā kevaṭṭā maññe macchavilope"ti?

"Ayaṁ, bhante, sujātā gharasuṇhā aḍḍhakulā ānītā. Sā neva sassuṁ ādiyati, na sasuraṁ ādiyati, na sāmikaṁ ādiyati, bhagavantampi na sakkaroti na garuṁ karoti na māneti na pūjetī"ti.

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3Atha kho bhagavā sujātaṁ gharasuṇhaṁ āmantesi: "ehi, sujāte"ti.

"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho sujātā gharasuṇhā bhagavato paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho sujātaṁ gharasuṇhaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

4"Satta kho imā, sujāte, purisassa bhariyāyo. Katamā satta? Vadhakasamā, corīsamā, ayyasamā, mātāsamā, bhaginīsamā, sakhīsamā, dāsīsamā. Imā kho, sujāte, satta purisassa bhariyāyo. Tāsaṁ tvaṁ katamā"ti?

"Na kho ahaṁ, bhante, imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi. Sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā tathā dhammaṁ desetu yathāhaṁ imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ jāneyyan"ti.

"Tena hi, sujāte, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī"ti.

"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho sujātā gharasuṇhā bhagavato paccassosi. Bhagavā etadavoca:

5"Paduṭṭhacittā ahitānukampinī,
Aññesu rattā atimaññate patiṁ;
Dhanena kītassa vadhāya ussukā,
Yā evarūpā purisassa bhariyā;
‘ Vadhā ca bhariyā’ti ca sā pavuccati. (1)

6Yaṁ itthiyā vindati sāmiko dhanaṁ,
Sippaṁ vaṇijjañca kasiṁ adhiṭṭhahaṁ;
Appampi tassa apahātumicchati,
Yā evarūpā purisassa bhariyā;
‘ Corī ca bhariyā’ti ca sā pavuccati. (2)

7Akammakāmā alasā mahagghasā,
Pharusā ca caṇḍī duruttavādinī;
Uṭṭhāyakānaṁ abhibhuyya vattati,
Yā evarūpā purisassa bhariyā;
‘ Ayyā ca bhariyā’ti ca sā pavuccati. (3)

8Yā sabbadā hoti hitānukampinī,
Mātāva puttaṁ anurakkhate patiṁ;
Tato dhanaṁ sambhatamassa rakkhati,
Yā evarūpā purisassa bhariyā;
‘ Mātā ca bhariyā’ti ca sā pavuccati. (4)

9Yathāpi jeṭṭhā bhaginī kaniṭṭhakā,
Sagāravā hoti sakamhi sāmike;
Hirīmanā bhattuvasānuvattinī,
Yā evarūpā purisassa bhariyā;
‘ Bhaginī ca bhariyā’ti ca sā pavuccati. (5)

10Yācīdha disvāna patiṁ pamodati,
Sakhī sakhāraṁva cirassamāgataṁ;
Koleyyakā sīlavatī patibbatā,
Yā evarūpā purisassa bhariyā;
‘ Sakhī ca bhariyā’ti ca sā pavuccati. (6)

11Akkuddhasantā vadhadaṇḍatajjitā,
Aduṭṭhacittā patino titikkhati;
Akkodhanā bhattuvasānuvattinī,
Yā evarūpā purisassa bhariyā;
‘ Dāsī ca bhariyā’ti ca sā pavuccati. (7)

12Yācīdha bhariyā vadhakāti vuccati,
‘ Corī ca ayyā’ti ca yā pavuccati;
Dussīlarūpā pharusā anādarā,
Kāyassa bhedā nirayaṁ vajanti tā. (1–3.)

13Yācīdha mātā bhaginī sakhīti ca,
‘ Dāsī ca bhariyā’ti ca sā pavuccati;
Sīle ṭhitattā cirarattasaṁvutā,
Kāyassa bhedā sugatiṁ vajanti tāti. (4–7.)

14Imā kho, sujāte, satta purisassa bhariyāyo. Tāsaṁ tvaṁ katamā"ti?

"Ajjatagge maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dāsīsamaṁ sāmikassa bhariyaṁ dhāretū"ti.

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Dasamaṁ.