[136] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambī, in Ghosita's Park. Now at that time the Venerable Anuruddha had gone into seclusion for his day's abiding. Then a number of deities of the agreeable group (manāpakāyikā devatā) approached the Venerable Anuruddha; having approached, they paid homage to the Venerable Anuruddha and stood to one side. Standing to one side, those deities said to the Venerable Anuruddha: "Venerable Anuruddha, we are the deities called 'those of the agreeable group.' We exercise mastery and wield power in three respects: whatever complexion we wish for, that very complexion we obtain on the spot; whatever sound we wish for, that very sound we obtain on the spot; whatever happiness we wish for, that very happiness we obtain on the spot. Venerable Anuruddha, we deities called 'those of the agreeable group' exercise mastery and wield power in these three respects."
Then it occurred to the Venerable Anuruddha: "Oh, may all these deities become blue — blue in complexion, with blue garments and blue ornaments!" Then those deities, knowing the Venerable Anuruddha's mind, all became blue — blue in complexion, with blue garments and blue ornaments.
Then it occurred to the Venerable Anuruddha: "Oh, may all these deities become yellow …" "May all become red …" "May all become white — white in complexion, with white garments and white ornaments!" Then those deities, knowing the Venerable Anuruddha's mind, all became white — white in complexion, with white garments and white ornaments.
Then one of those deities sang, one danced, and one snapped her fingers. Just as the sound of a five-membered musical ensemble — well tuned, well played, skillfully struck by experts — is lovely, exciting, charming, endearing, and delightful, so too the sound of those deities' ornaments was lovely, exciting, charming, endearing, and delightful. But then the Venerable Anuruddha cast down his sense faculties. Then those deities, thinking, "Master Anuruddha does not take delight," vanished right there.
Then, in the evening, the Venerable Anuruddha emerged from seclusion and approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Anuruddha said to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, I had gone into seclusion for my day's abiding. Then, venerable sir, a number of deities of the agreeable group approached me; having approached, they paid homage to me and stood to one side. Standing to one side, venerable sir, those deities said to me: 'Venerable Anuruddha, we are the deities called "those of the agreeable group." We exercise mastery and wield power in three respects: whatever complexion we wish for, that very complexion we obtain on the spot; whatever sound we wish for, that very sound we obtain on the spot; whatever happiness we wish for, that very happiness we obtain on the spot. Venerable Anuruddha, we deities called "those of the agreeable group" exercise mastery and wield power in these three respects.' Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me: 'Oh, may all these deities become blue — blue in complexion, with blue garments and blue ornaments!' Then, venerable sir, those deities, knowing my mind, all became blue — blue in complexion, with blue garments and blue ornaments. Then it occurred to me: 'Oh, may all these deities become yellow …' 'May all become red …' 'May all become white — white in complexion, with white garments and white ornaments!' Then, venerable sir, those deities, knowing my mind, all became white — white in complexion, with white garments and white ornaments. Then, venerable sir, one of those deities sang, one danced, and one snapped her fingers. Just as the sound of a five-membered musical ensemble — well tuned, well played, skillfully struck by experts — is lovely, exciting, charming, endearing, and delightful, so too the sound of those deities' ornaments was lovely, exciting, charming, endearing, and delightful. Then, venerable sir, I cast down my sense faculties. Then those deities, thinking, 'Master Anuruddha does not take delight,' vanished right there. Venerable sir, possessed of how many qualities is a woman reborn, with the breakup of the body, after death, in companionship with the deities of the agreeable group?"
"Anuruddha, possessed of eight qualities a woman is reborn, with the breakup of the body, after death, in companionship with the deities of the agreeable group. What eight? Here, Anuruddha, to whatever husband her mother and father give a woman — desiring her good, seeking her welfare, sympathetic, out of sympathy — for him she rises before him and retires after him, she is obedient to his bidding, agreeable in conduct, and endearing in speech. Those whom her husband reveres — mother, or father, or ascetics and brahmins — she honors, respects, esteems, and venerates, and when they arrive she duly attends on them with a seat and water. In her husband's domestic tasks, whether of wool or of cotton, she is skillful and diligent, possessed of sound judgment suited to those tasks, able to carry them out and able to arrange them. Regarding her husband's domestic help — slaves, messengers, or workers — she knows what has been done as done and what has been left undone as undone; she knows the strength and weakness of those who are sick; and she distributes to each a portion of food, hard and soft, according to his share. The wealth her husband brings home — riches, grain, silver, or gold — she keeps safe by guarding and protecting it, and with regard to it she is no gambler, no thief, no drinker, no squanderer. She is a female lay follower (upāsikā), gone for refuge to the Buddha, gone for refuge to the Dhamma, gone for refuge to the Saṅgha. She is virtuous, abstaining from the destruction of life, abstaining from taking what is not given, abstaining from sexual misconduct, abstaining from false speech, abstaining from wine, spirits, and intoxicants that are a basis for heedlessness. She is generous: she dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing. Possessed of these eight qualities, Anuruddha, a woman is reborn, with the breakup of the body, after death, in companionship with the deities of the agreeable group.
She does not despise her husband,
the man who always supports her,
ever ardent and eager,
who brings her all that she desires.
Nor does a good woman provoke her husband
with words spoken out of jealousy;
the wise woman duly venerates
all those whom her husband reveres.
She rises early, is not lazy,
and treats the household with kindness;
she conducts herself agreeably to her husband
and safeguards what he has earned.
The woman who conducts herself thus,
following the sway of her husband's wishes,
is reborn among those deities
who are called 'the agreeable.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.