Aṇguttara Nikāya
4. Catukka Nipāta
VI. Puññābhisanda Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
VI: Flood of Merit
Dutiya Saṃvāsa Suttaṃ
Sutta 54
Living Together (b)[1]
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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On a certain occasion the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"Monks, there are these four ways
of living together.
What four?
A vile man
lives along with a vile woman;
a vile man
lives along with a devi;
a deva
lives along with a vile woman;
a deva
lives along with a devi.
And in what way, monks,
does a vile man
live along with a vile woman?
In this case, monks,
a husband is one who takes life,
steals,
is a wrong-doer in sense-desires,
a liar,
one given to harsh, bitter speech
and idle babble,
one covetous, of a malevolent heart,
of perverted view,
he is a wicked man,
an evil-doer,
he lives at home
with a heart soiled
by the taint of stinginess,
he abuses and reviles
recluses and brahmins.
His wife also is one who takes life
steals,
is a wrong-doer in sense-desires,
a liar,
one given to harsh, bitter speech
and idle babble,
one covetous, of a malevolent heart,
of perverted view,
she is a wicked woman,
an evil-doer,
she lives at home
with a heart soiled
by the taint of stinginess,
she abuses and reviles
recluses and brahmins.
Thus it is, monks,
that a vile man
lives with a vile woman.
And how, monks,
does a vile man
live along with a devi?
In this case the husband is one who takes life,
steals,
is a wrong-doer in sense-desires,
a liar,
one given to harsh, bitter speech
and idle babble,
one covetous, of a malevolent heart,
of perverted view,
he is a wicked man,
an evil-doer,
he lives at home
with a heart soiled
by the taint of stinginess,
he abuses and reviles
recluses and brahmins.
But the wife is one who abstains from taking life,
stealing,
wrong-doing in sense-desires,
lying,
one not given to harsh, bitter speech
and idle babble,
one not covetous, of a malevolent heart,
not of perverted view,
she is virtuous,
of a lovely nature,
she lives at home with a heart
freed from the taint of stinginess,
she is no abuser or reviler
of recluses and brahmins.
Thus, monks,
does a vile man
live along with a devi.
And how does a deva
live along with a vile woman?
In this case the husband is one who abstains from taking life,
stealing,
wrong-doing in sense-desires,
lying,
one not given to harsh, bitter speech
and idle babble,
one not covetous, of a malevolent heart,
not of perverted view,
he is virtuous,
of a lovely nature,
he lives at home with a heart
freed from the taint of stinginess,
he is no abuser or reviler
of recluses and brahmins.
But the wife is one who takes life
steals,
is a wrong-doer in sense-desires,
a liar,
one given to harsh, bitter speech
and idle babble,
one covetous, of a malevolent heart,
of perverted view,
she is a wicked woman,
an evil-doer,
she lives at home
with a heart soiled
by the taint of stinginess,
she abuses and reviles
recluses and brahmins.
Thus does a deva
live along with a vile woman.
And how does a deva
live along with a devi?
In this case both husband and wife
are abstainers from,
stealing,
wrong-doing in sense-desires,
lying,
they are not given to harsh, bitter speech
and idle babble,
they are not covetous, of a malevolent heart,
not of perverted view,
they are virtuous,
of a lovely nature,
living at home with a heart
freed from the taint of stinginess,
not abuseing or reviling
recluses and brahmins.
Thus it is, monks,
that a deva
lives along with a devi.
These are the four ways of living together.
Both vicious, mean, abusing others, these -
Husband and wife, a vile pair linked together.
A vicious husband, mean, abusing others;
A virtuous wife, not stingy, but well-spoken -
A devi she, paired with a partner vile.
A husband good, not stingy, but well-spoken,
A vicious wife, stingy, abusing others -
A woman vile is partnered with a deva.
If both, believers, self-controlled, well-spoken,
Living as dhamma bids, use loving words
One to the other, - manifold the blessings
That come to wife and husband, and to them
The blessing of a pleasant life is born;
Dejected are their foes, for both are good.
So in this world living as dhamma bids,
The pair, in goodness match'd, i' the deva-world
Rejoicing win the bliss that they desire.'
[1] This sutta is much the same as (a) above, but has substitutes for the fifth offence of drinking liquor. Comy. remarks that both are concerned with kamma-patha, and the householders' method of attaining the first two paths of Stream-winning and Once-return.
