At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde. Then Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Atha kho visākhā migāramātā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami …pe…. The Buddha said to her: Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho visākhaṁ migāramātaraṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“Visākhā, a lady who has four qualities is practicing to win in this life, and she succeeds at it. “Catūhi kho, visākhe, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo idhalokavijayāya paṭipanno hoti, ayaṁsa loko āraddho hoti. What four? Katamehi catūhi? It’s when a lady is well-organized at work, manages the domestic help, acts lovingly toward her husband, and preserves his earnings. Idha, visākhe, mātugāmo susaṁvihitakammanto hoti, saṅgahitaparijano, bhattu manāpaṁ carati, sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

And how is a lady well-organized at work? Kathañca, visākhe, mātugāmo susaṁvihitakammanto hoti? It’s when she’s deft and tireless in doing domestic duties for her husband, such as knitting and sewing. She understands how to go about things in order to complete and organize the work. Idha, visākhe, mātugāmo ye te bhattu abbhantarā kammantā—uṇṇāti vā kappāsāti vā—tattha dakkhā hoti analasā tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgatā alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ. That’s how a lady is well-organized at work. Evaṁ kho, visākhe, mātugāmo susaṁvihitakammanto hoti.

And how does a lady manage the domestic help? Kathañca, visākhe, mātugāmo saṅgahitaparijano hoti? It’s when she knows what work her husband’s domestic bondservants, servants, and workers have completed, and what they’ve left incomplete. Idha, visākhe, mātugāmo yo so bhattu abbhantaro antojano—dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā—She knows who is sick, and who is fit or unwell. She distributes to each a fair portion of fresh and cooked foods. tesaṁ katañca katato jānāti akatañca akatato jānāti, gilānakānañca balābalaṁ jānāti khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyañcassa paccaṁsena saṁvibhajati. That’s how a lady manages the domestic help. Evaṁ kho, visākhe, mātugāmo saṅgahitaparijano hoti.

And how does a lady act lovingly toward her husband? Kathañca, visākhe, mātugāmo bhattu manāpaṁ carati? It’s when a lady would not transgress in any way that her husband would not consider agreeable, even for the sake of her own life. Idha, visākhe, mātugāmo yaṁ bhattu amanāpasaṅkhātaṁ taṁ jīvitahetupi na ajjhācarati. That’s how a lady acts lovingly toward her husband. Evaṁ kho, visākhe, mātugāmo bhattu manāpaṁ carati.

And how does a lady preserve his earnings? Kathañca, visākhe, mātugāmo sambhataṁ anurakkhati? It’s when 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. Idha, visākhe, mātugāmo yaṁ bhattā āharati dhanaṁ vā dhaññaṁ vā rajataṁ vā jātarūpaṁ vā taṁ ārakkhena guttiyā sampādeti, tattha ca hoti adhuttī athenī asoṇḍī avināsikā. That’s how a lady preserves his earnings. Evaṁ kho, visākhe, mātugāmo sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

A lady who possesses these four qualities is practicing to win in this life, and she succeeds at it. Imehi kho, visākhe, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo idhalokavijayāya paṭipanno hoti, ayaṁsa loko āraddho hoti.

A lady who has four qualities is practicing to win in the next life, and she succeeds at it. Catūhi kho, visākhe, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo paralokavijayāya paṭipanno hoti, paraloko āraddho hoti. What four? Katamehi catūhi? It’s when a lady is accomplished in faith, ethics, generosity, and wisdom. Idha, visākhe, mātugāmo saddhāsampanno hoti, sīlasampanno hoti, cāgasampanno hoti, paññāsampanno hoti.

And how is a lady accomplished in faith? Kathañca, visākhe, mātugāmo saddhāsampanno hoti? It’s when a lady has faith in the Realized One’s awakening: Idha, visākhe, mātugāmo saddho hoti, saddahati tathāgatassa bodhiṁ: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti. That’s how a lady is accomplished in faith. Evaṁ kho, visākhe, mātugāmo saddhāsampanno hoti.

And how is a lady accomplished in ethics? Kathañca, visākhe, mātugāmo sīlasampanno hoti? It’s when a lady doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. Idha, visākhe, mātugāmo pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti. That’s how a lady is accomplished in ethics. Evaṁ kho, visākhe, mātugāmo sīlasampanno hoti.

And how is a lady accomplished in generosity? Kathañca, visākhe, mātugāmo cāgasampanno hoti? It’s when she lives at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share. Idha, visākhe, mātugāmo vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgā payatapāṇinī vossaggaratā yācayogā dānasaṁvibhāgaratā. That’s how a lady is accomplished in generosity. Evaṁ kho, visākhe, mātugāmo cāgasampanno hoti.

And how is a lady accomplished in wisdom? Kathañca, visākhe, mātugāmo paññāsampanno hoti? It’s when a lady is wise. She has the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. Idha, visākhe, mātugāmo paññavā hoti …pe… That’s how a lady is accomplished in wisdom. evaṁ kho, visākhe, mātugāmo paññāsampanno hoti.

A lady who possesses these four qualities is practicing to win in the next life, and she succeeds at it. Imehi kho, visākhe, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo paralokavijayāya paṭipanno hoti, paraloko āraddho hotīti.

She’s organized at work, Susaṁvihitakammantā, and manages the domestic help. saṅgahitaparijjanā; She’s agreeable to her husband, Bhattu manāpaṁ carati, and preserves his wealth. sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

Faithful, accomplished in ethics, Saddhā sīlena sampannā, bountiful, rid of stinginess, vadaññū vītamaccharā; she always purifies the path Niccaṁ maggaṁ visodheti, to well-being in lives to come. sotthānaṁ samparāyikaṁ.

And so, a lady in whom Iccete aṭṭha dhammā ca, these eight qualities are found yassā vijjanti nāriyā; is known as virtuous, Tampi sīlavatiṁ āhu, firmly principled, and truthful. dhammaṭṭhaṁ saccavādiniṁ.

Accomplished in sixteen respects, Soḷasākārasampannā, complete with the eight factors, Aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgatā; a virtuous laywoman such as she Tādisī sīlavatī upāsikā, is reborn in the realm of the Agreeable Gods.” Upapajjati devalokaṁ manāpan”ti.

Navamaṁ.