8.
The Discourse on State
311.
"There are, monks, these five states difficult to obtain by a woman who has not made merit.
Which five?
'May I be born in a suitable family' -
this, monks, is the first state difficult to obtain by a woman who has not made merit.
'Having been born in a suitable family, may I go to a suitable family' -
this, monks, is the second state difficult to obtain by a woman who has not made merit.
'Having been born in a suitable family, having gone to a suitable family, may I dwell in a house without a co-wife' -
this, monks, is the third state difficult to obtain by a woman who has not made merit.
'Having been born in a suitable family, having gone to a suitable family, dwelling in a house without a co-wife, may I have sons' -
this, monks, is the fourth state difficult to obtain by a woman who has not made merit.
'Having been born in a suitable family, having gone to a suitable family, dwelling in a house without a co-wife, having sons, may I dwell having overcome my husband' -
this, monks, is the fifth state difficult to obtain by a woman who has not made merit.
These, monks, are the five states difficult to obtain by a woman who has not made merit.
"There are, monks, these five states easy to obtain by a woman who has made merit. Which five? 'May I be born in a suitable family' - this, monks, is the first state easy to obtain by a woman who has made merit. 'Having been born in a suitable family, may I go to a suitable family' - this, monks, is the second state easy to obtain by a woman who has made merit. 'Having been born in a suitable family, having gone to a suitable family, may I dwell in a house without a co-wife' - this, monks, is the third state easy to obtain by a woman who has made merit. 'Having been born in a suitable family, having gone to a suitable family, dwelling in a house without a co-wife, may I have sons' - this, monks, is the fourth state easy to obtain by a woman who has made merit. 'Having been born in a suitable family, having gone to a suitable family, dwelling in a house without a co-wife, having sons, may I dwell having overcome my husband' - this, monks, is the fifth state easy to obtain by a woman who has made merit. These, monks, are the five states easy to obtain by a woman who has made merit." The eighth.