8.
The Discourse to Nakulamātā
48.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Bhaggas at Suṃsumāragira in the Bhesakaḷā Grove, in the Deer Park.
Then the woman householder Nakulamātā approached the Blessed One;
having approached, etc.
To the woman householder Nakulamātā seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Possessed of eight qualities, Nakulamātā, a woman, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the Manāpakāyika gods. Which eight? Here, Nakulamātā, a woman to whom her mother and father give a husband, desiring her welfare, seeking her benefit, compassionate, out of compassion - for him she is one who rises early, one who retires late, one who is willing to do what is asked, one who conducts herself agreeably, one who speaks pleasantly.
"Whoever are her husband's elders - whether mother or father or ascetics and brahmins - she honours them, respects them, reveres them, venerates them, and when they have arrived, she honours them with a seat and water.
"Whatever are her husband's internal household activities - whether wool or cotton - therein she is skilled, not lazy, endowed with investigation into the means for that, able to do and able to arrange.
"Whatever is her husband's internal household - whether slaves or servants or labourers - she knows what has been done as done and what has not been done as not done, she knows the strength and weakness of the sick, and she distributes the solid and soft food according to their due share.
"Whatever wealth or grain or silver or gold her husband brings, that she safeguards with protection and guarding, and therein she is not a gambler, not a thief, not a drunkard, not a destroyer.
"And she is a female lay follower who has gone for refuge to the Buddha, gone for refuge to the Teaching, gone for refuge to the Community.
"And she is virtuous - abstaining from killing living beings, etc. abstaining from spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence, etc.
"And she is generous; she dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, generous in giving, with purified hands, delighting in relinquishment, accessible to requests, delighting in giving and sharing.
"Possessed of these eight qualities, Nakulamātā, a woman, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the Manāpakāyika gods."
That man who gives all desires, her husband - she does not despise.
And all those venerable to her husband, the wise woman honours.
She behaves agreeably to her husband, she guards what has been brought.
The Agreeable gods are those, where she is reborn." The eighth.