Saṁyutta Nikāya:
IV. Saḷāyatana Vagga
37: Mātugāma Saṁyutta

37: Kindred Sayings about Womankind

Sutta 32

Ṭhānam Suttaṁ

Condition¹

 

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[1]Thus have I heard:

The Exalted One once addressed the brethren, saying:

"Brethren."

"Lord," responded those brethren to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One thus spoke:

"There are these five conditions, Brethren,
hard to be won
by a woman who has wrought no merit.

What five?

[168] She may wish:

'Oh that I may be reborn in a proper² family.'

That is the first condition
which is hard to be won
by a woman who has wrought no merit.

■

She may wish:

'Born in a proper family,
may I go (as wife) to a proper family.'

That, Brethren, is the second condition
which is hard to be won
by a woman who has wrought no merit.

■

She may wish:

'Born in a proper family,
gone (as wife) to a proper family,
may I dwell in the home
without a rival.'³

That, Brethren, is the third condition
which is hard to be won
by a woman who has wrought no merit.

■

She may wish:

'Born in a proper family,
gone (as wife) to a proper family,
dwelling in the home without a rival,
may I have a son.'

That, Brethren, is the fourth condition
which is hard to be won
by a woman who has wrought no merit.

■

She may wish:

'Born in a proper family,
gone (as wife) to a proper family,
dwelling in the home without a rival,
possessed of a son,
may I continue to have mastery over my husband.'

That, Brethren, is the fifth condition
which is hard to be won
by a woman who has wrought no merit.

Such, Brethren, are the five conditions
which are hard to be won
by a woman who has wrought no merit.

 

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There are these five conditions, Brethren,
easily won
by a woman who has wrought merit.

What five?

She may wish:

'Oh that I may be reborn in a proper family.'

That is the first condition
easily won
by a woman who has wrought merit.

■

She may wish:

'Born in a proper family,
may I go (as wife) to a proper family.'

That, Brethren, is the second condition
easily won
by a woman who has wrought merit.

■

She may wish:

'Born in a proper family,
gone (as wife) to a proper family,
may I dwell in the home
without a rival.'

That, Brethren, is the third condition
easily won
by a woman who has wrought merit.

■

She may wish:

'Born in a proper family,
gone (as wife) to a proper family,
dwelling in the home without a rival,
may I have a son.'

That, Brethren, is the fourth condition
easily won
by a woman who has wrought merit.

■

She may wish:

'Born in a proper family,
gone (as wife) to a proper family,
dwelling in the home without a rival,
possessed of a son,
may I continue to have mastery over my husband.'

That, Brethren, is the fifth condition
easily won
by a woman who has wrought merit.

Such, Brethren, are the five conditions
which are easily won
by a woman who has wrought merit.

 

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¹ Ṭhānaṁ

² Patirūpa.

³ Asapattī, another wife.