Paṭhamasaṁvāsasutta — Reader

Living Together (1st)

Paṭhamasaṁvāsasutta

At one time the Buddha was traveling along the road between Madhurā and Verañjā, as were several householders, both women and men. The Buddha left the road and sat at the root of a tree, where the householders saw him.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā antarā ca madhuraṁ antarā ca verañjaṁ addhānamaggappaṭipanno hoti. Sambahulāpi kho gahapatī ca gahapatāniyo ca antarā ca madhuraṁ antarā ca verañjaṁ addhānamaggappaṭipannā honti. Atha kho bhagavā maggā okkamma aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle (…) nisīdi. Addasaṁsu kho gahapatī ca gahapatāniyo ca bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle nisinnaṁ.

They went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to them: “Householders, there are four ways of living together. What four? A male zombie living with a female zombie;

Disvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho te gahapatī ca gahapatāniyo ca bhagavā etadavoca: “Cattārome, gahapatayo, saṁvāsā. Katame cattāro? Chavo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati,

a male zombie living with a goddess; a god living with a female zombie; a god living with a goddess. And how does a male zombie live with a female zombie?

chavo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati, devo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati, devo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati. Kathañca, gahapatayo, chavo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati?

It’s when the husband kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, lies, and consumes intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. He’s unethical, of bad character, living at home with his heart full of the stain of stinginess, abusing and insulting ascetics and brahmins. And the wife is also … unethical, of bad character …

Idha, gahapatayo, sāmiko hoti pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāyī dussīlo pāpadhammo maccheramalapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati akkosakaparibhāsako samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ; bhariyāpissa hoti pāṇātipātinī adinnādāyinī kāmesumicchācārinī musāvādinī surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāyinī dussīlā pāpadhammā maccheramalapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati akkosikaparibhāsikā samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ.

That’s how a male zombie lives with a female zombie. And how does a male zombie live with a goddess? It’s when the husband … is unethical, of bad character …

Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, chavo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati. Kathañca, gahapatayo, chavo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati? Idha, gahapatayo, sāmiko hoti pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāyī dussīlo pāpadhammo maccheramalapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati akkosakaparibhāsako samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ;

But the wife doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. She’s ethical, of good character, living at home with heart rid of the stain of stinginess, not abusing and insulting ascetics and brahmins. That’s how a male zombie lives with a goddess.

bhariyā khvassa hoti pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā adinnādānā paṭiviratā kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratā musāvādā paṭiviratā surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratā sīlavatī kalyāṇadhammā vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati anakkosikaparibhāsikā samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ. Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, chavo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati.

And how does a god live with a female zombie? It’s when the husband … is ethical, of good character …

Kathañca, gahapatayo, devo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati? Idha, gahapatayo, sāmiko hoti pāṇātipātā paṭivirato adinnādānā paṭivirato kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato musāvādā paṭivirato surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati anakkosakaparibhāsako samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ;

But the wife … is unethical, of bad character … That’s how a god lives with a female zombie. And how does a god live with a goddess?

bhariyā khvassa hoti pāṇātipātinī …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāyinī dussīlā pāpadhammā maccheramalapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati akkosikaparibhāsikā samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ. Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, devo chavāya saddhiṁ saṁvasati. Kathañca, gahapatayo, devo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati?

It’s when the husband … is ethical, of good character … And the wife is also … ethical, of good character …

Idha, gahapatayo, sāmiko hoti pāṇātipātā paṭivirato …pe… sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati anakkosakaparibhāsako samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ; bhariyāpissa hoti pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratā sīlavatī kalyāṇadhammā vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati anakkosikaparibhāsikā samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ.

That’s how a god lives with a goddess. These are the four ways of living together. When both are unethical, miserly and abusive,

Evaṁ kho, gahapatayo, devo deviyā saddhiṁ saṁvasati. Ime kho, gahapatayo, cattāro saṁvāsāti. Ubho ca honti dussīlā, kadariyā paribhāsakā;

then wife and husband live together as zombies. When the husband is unethical, miserly and abusive,

Te honti jānipatayo, chavā saṁvāsamāgatā. Sāmiko hoti dussīlo, kadariyo paribhāsako;

but the wife is ethical, bountiful, rid of stinginess, she’s a goddess living with a zombie for a husband.

Bhariyā sīlavatī hoti, vadaññū vītamaccharā; Sāpi devī saṁvasati, chavena patinā saha.

When the husband is ethical, bountiful, rid of stinginess, but the wife is unethical, miserly and abusive,

Sāmiko sīlavā hoti, vadaññū vītamaccharo; Bhariyā hoti dussīlā, kadariyā paribhāsikā;

she’s a zombie living with a god for a husband. When both are faithful and bountiful, disciplined, living righteously,

Sāpi chavā saṁvasati, devena patinā saha. Ubho saddhā vadaññū ca, saññatā dhammajīvino;

then wife and husband say nice things to each other. Their needs are amply satisfied, so they live at ease.

Te honti jānipatayo, aññamaññaṁ piyaṁvadā. Atthāsaṁ pacurā honti, phāsukaṁ upajāyati;

Their enemies are downhearted, when both are equal in ethics. Having practiced the teaching here, both equal in precepts and observances,

Amittā dummanā honti, ubhinnaṁ samasīlinaṁ. Idha dhammaṁ caritvāna, samasīlabbatā ubho;

they delight in the heavenly realm, enjoying all the pleasures they desire.”

Nandino devalokasmiṁ, modanti kāmakāmino”ti. Tatiyaṁ.