At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

Now at that time Venerable Anuruddha had gone into retreat for the day’s meditation. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā anuruddho divāvihāraṁ gato hoti paṭisallīno. Then several deities of the Agreeable Host went up to Venerable Anuruddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him: Atha kho sambahulā manāpakāyikā devatā yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho tā devatā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“Honorable Anuruddha, we are the deities called ‘Agreeable’. We wield authority and control over three things. “mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, manāpakāyikā nāma devatā tīsu ṭhānesu issariyaṁ kārema vasaṁ vattema. We can turn any color we want on the spot. Mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, yādisakaṁ vaṇṇaṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ vaṇṇaṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma; We can get any voice that we want on the spot. yādisakaṁ saraṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ saraṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma; We can get any pleasure that we want on the spot. yādisakaṁ sukhaṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ sukhaṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma. We are the deities called ‘Agreeable’. We wield authority and control over these three things.” Mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, manāpakāyikā nāma devatā imesu tīsu ṭhānesu issariyaṁ kārema vasaṁ vattemā”ti.

Then Venerable Anuruddha thought, Atha kho āyasmato anuruddhassa etadahosi: “If only these deities would all turn blue, of blue color, clad in blue, adorned with blue!” “aho vatimā devatā sabbāva nīlā assu nīlavaṇṇā nīlavatthā nīlālaṅkārā”ti. Then those deities, knowing Anuruddha’s thought, all turned blue. Atha kho tā devatā āyasmato anuruddhassa cittamaññāya sabbāva nīlā ahesuṁ nīlavaṇṇā nīlavatthā nīlālaṅkārā.

Then Venerable Anuruddha thought, Atha kho āyasmato anuruddhassa etadahosi: “If only these deities would all turn yellow …” “aho vatimā devatā sabbāva pītā assu …pe…

“If only these gods would all turn red …” sabbāva lohitakā assu …

“If only these gods would all turn white …” sabbāva odātā assu odātavaṇṇā odātavatthā odātālaṅkārā”ti. Then those deities, knowing Anuruddha’s thought, all turned white. Atha kho tā devatā āyasmato anuruddhassa cittamaññāya sabbāva odātā ahesuṁ odātavaṇṇā odātavatthā odātālaṅkārā.

Then one of those deities sang, one danced, and one snapped her fingers. Atha kho tā devatā ekā ca gāyi ekā ca nacci ekā ca accharaṁ vādesi. Suppose there was a quintet made up of skilled musicians who had practiced well and kept excellent rhythm. They’d sound graceful, tantalizing, sensuous, endearing, and intoxicating. Seyyathāpi nāma pañcaṅgikassa tūriyassa suvinītassa suppaṭipatāḷitassa kusalehi susamannāhatassa saddo hoti vaggu ca rajanīyo ca kamanīyo ca pemanīyo ca madanīyo ca; In the same way the performance by those deities sounded graceful, tantalizing, sensuous, endearing, and intoxicating. evamevaṁ tāsaṁ devatānaṁ alaṅkārānaṁ saddo hoti vaggu ca rajanīyo ca kamanīyo ca pemanīyo ca madanīyo ca. But Venerable Anuruddha averted his senses. Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho indriyāni okkhipi.

Then those deities, thinking “Master Anuruddha isn’t enjoying this,” vanished right there. Atha kho tā devatā “na khvayyo anuruddho sādiyatī”ti tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu. Then in the late afternoon, Anuruddha came out of retreat and went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, adding: Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā anuruddho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, divāvihāraṁ gato homi paṭisallīno. Atha kho, bhante, sambahulā manāpakāyikā devatā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhante, tā devatā maṁ etadavocuṁ: ‘mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, manāpakāyikā nāma devatā tīsu ṭhānesu issariyaṁ kārema vasaṁ vattema. Mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, yādisakaṁ vaṇṇaṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ vaṇṇaṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma; yādisakaṁ saraṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ saraṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma; yādisakaṁ sukhaṁ ākaṅkhāma tādisakaṁ sukhaṁ ṭhānaso paṭilabhāma. Mayaṁ, bhante anuruddha, manāpakāyikā nāma devatā imesu tīsu ṭhānesu issariyaṁ kārema vasaṁ vattemā’ti. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi: ‘aho vatimā devatā sabbāva nīlā assu nīlavaṇṇā nīlavatthā nīlālaṅkārā’ti. Atha kho, bhante, tā devatā mama cittamaññāya sabbāva nīlā ahesuṁ nīlavaṇṇā nīlavatthā nīlālaṅkārā.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi: ‘aho vatimā devatā sabbāva pītā assu …pe… sabbāva lohitakā assu …pe… sabbāva odātā assu odātavaṇṇā odātavatthā odātālaṅkārā’ti. Atha kho, bhante, tā devatā mama cittamaññāya sabbāva odātā ahesuṁ odātavaṇṇā odātavatthā odātālaṅkārā.

Atha kho, bhante, tā devatā ekā ca gāyi ekā ca nacci ekā ca accharaṁ vādesi. Seyyathāpi nāma pañcaṅgikassa tūriyassa suvinītassa suppaṭipatāḷitassa kusalehi susamannāhatassa saddo hoti vaggu ca rajanīyo ca kamanīyo ca pemanīyo ca madanīyo ca; evamevaṁ tāsaṁ devatānaṁ alaṅkārānaṁ saddo hoti vaggu ca rajanīyo ca kamanīyo ca pemanīyo ca madanīyo ca. Atha khvāhaṁ, bhante, indriyāni okkhipi.

Atha kho, bhante, tā devatā ‘na khvayyo anuruddho sādiyatī’ti tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu. “How many qualities do ladies have so that—when their body breaks up, after death—they are reborn in company with the Gods of the Agreeable Host?” Katihi nu kho, bhante, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti?

“Anuruddha, when they have eight qualities ladies—when their body breaks up, after death—are reborn in company with the Gods of the Agreeable Host. “Aṭṭhahi kho, anuruddha, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. What eight? Katamehi aṭṭhahi?

Take the case of a lady whose mother and father give her to a husband wanting what’s best for her, out of kindness and sympathy. She would get up before him and go to bed after him, and be obliging, behaving nicely and speaking politely. Idha, anuruddha, mātugāmo yassa mātāpitaro bhattuno denti atthakāmā hitesino anukampakā anukampaṁ upādāya tassa hoti pubbuṭṭhāyinī pacchānipātinī kiṅkārapaṭissāvinī manāpacārinī piyavādinī.

She honors, respects, esteems, and venerates those her husband respects, such as Ye te bhattu garuno honti—mother and father, and ascetics and brahmins. mātāti vā pitāti vā samaṇabrāhmaṇāti vā—And when they arrive she serves them with a seat and water. te sakkaroti, garuṁ karoti, māneti, pūjeti, abbhāgate ca āsanodakena paṭipūjeti.

She’s deft and tireless in her husband’s household duties, such as knitting and sewing. She understands how to go about things in order to complete and organize the work. Ye te bhattu abbhantarā kammantā—uṇṇāti vā kappāsāti vā—tattha dakkhā hoti analasā tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgatā alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ.

She knows what work her husband’s domestic bondservants, servants, and workers have completed, and what they’ve left incomplete. Yo so bhattu abbhantaro antojano—dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā—She knows who is sick, and who is fit or unwell. She distributes to each a fair portion of fresh and cooked foods. tesaṁ katañca katato jānāti akatañca akatato jānāti, gilānakānañca balābalaṁ jānāti khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyañcassa paccaṁsena saṁvibhajati.

She ensures that any income her husband earns is guarded and protected, whether money, grain, silver, or gold. She doesn’t overspend, steal, waste, or lose it. Yaṁ bhattu āharati dhanaṁ vā dhaññaṁ vā jātarūpaṁ vā taṁ ārakkhena guttiyā sampādeti, tattha ca hoti adhuttī athenī asoṇḍī avināsikā.

She’s a lay follower who has gone for refuge to the Buddha, his teaching, and the Saṅgha. Upāsikā kho pana hoti buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā.

She’s ethical. Sīlavatī kho pana hoti—She doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā, adinnādānā paṭiviratā, kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratā, musāvādā paṭiviratā, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratā.

She’s generous. Cāgavatī kho pana hoti. She lives at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share. Vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgā payatapāṇinī vossaggaratā yācayogā dānasaṁvibhāgaratā.

When they possess these eight qualities ladies—when their body breaks up, after death—are reborn in company with the Gods of the Agreeable Host. Imehi kho, anuruddha, aṭṭhahi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā manāpakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatīti.

She’d never look down on her husband, Yo naṁ bharati sabbadā, who’s always eager to work hard, niccaṁ ātāpi ussuko; always looking after her, Taṁ sabbakāmadaṁ posaṁ, and bringing whatever she wants. bhattāraṁ nātimaññati.

And a good woman never scolds her husband Na cāpi sotthi bhattāraṁ, with jealous words. issāvādena rosaye; Being astute, she reveres Bhattu ca garuno sabbe, those respected by her husband. paṭipūjeti paṇḍitā.

She gets up early, works tirelessly, Uṭṭhāhikā analasā, and manages the domestic help. saṅgahitaparijjanā; She’s agreeable to her husband, Bhattu manāpaṁ carati, and preserves his wealth. sambhataṁ anurakkhati.

A lady who fulfills these duties Yā evaṁ vattati nārī, according to her husband’s desire, bhattu chandavasānugā; is reborn among the gods Manāpā nāma te devā, called ‘Agreeable’.” yattha sā upapajjatī”ti.