3.
The First Discourse on Communal Life
53.
On one occasion the Blessed One was travelling on the highway between Madhurā and Verañja.
Many householders and women householders were also travelling on the highway between Madhurā and Verañja.
Then the Blessed One, having turned aside from the road, sat down at the foot of a certain tree.
The householders and women householders saw the Blessed One seated at the foot of a certain tree.
Having seen him, they approached the Blessed One;
having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
To those householders and women householders seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Householders, there are these four kinds of communal life. Which four? A miserable man lives together with a miserable woman, a miserable man lives together with a goddess, a god lives together with a miserable woman, a god lives together with a goddess.
"And how, householders, does a miserable man live together with a miserable woman? Here, householders, a husband is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsehood, indulges in spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence, is immoral, of bad character, dwells at home with a mind pervaded by the stain of stinginess, one who reviles and abuses ascetics and brahmins; and his wife too is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsehood, indulges in spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence, is immoral, of bad character, dwells at home with a mind pervaded by the stain of stinginess, one who reviles and abuses ascetics and brahmins. Thus, householders, a miserable man lives together with a miserable woman.
"And how, householders, does a miserable man live together with a goddess? Here, householders, a husband is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsehood, indulges in spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence, is immoral, of bad character, dwells at home with a mind pervaded by the stain of stinginess, one who reviles and abuses ascetics and brahmins; but his wife abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from lying, abstains from spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence, is virtuous, of good character, dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, one who does not revile and abuse ascetics and brahmins. Thus, householders, a miserable man lives together with a goddess.
"And how, householders, does a god live together with a miserable woman? Here, householders, a husband abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from lying, abstains from spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence, is virtuous, of good character, dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, one who does not revile and abuse ascetics and brahmins; but his wife is one who kills living beings, etc. indulges in spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence, is immoral, of bad character, dwells at home with a mind pervaded by the stain of stinginess, one who reviles and abuses ascetics and brahmins. Thus, householders, a god lives together with a miserable woman.
"And how, householders, does a god live together with a goddess? Here, householders, a husband abstains from killing living beings, etc. is virtuous, of good character, dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, one who does not revile and abuse ascetics and brahmins; and his wife too abstains from killing living beings, etc. abstains from spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence, is virtuous, of good character, dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, one who does not revile and abuse ascetics and brahmins. Thus, householders, a god lives together with a goddess. These, householders, are the four kinds of communal life."
They are wife and husband, miserable ones come together in communion.
The wife is moral, bountiful, free from avarice;
She, a goddess, lives together with a miserable husband.
The wife is immoral, miserly, abusive;
She, miserable, lives together with a god as husband.
They are wife and husband, speaking kindly to one another.
Enemies become unhappy, when both are equal in morality.
Delighting in the world of gods, they rejoice, those who desire sensual pleasures." The third.