1. Mörderische (Aufsässige)
2. Diebische
3. Tyrannische
4. Mütterliche
5. Schwesterliche
6. Freundschaftlich
7. Hingebungsvolle (Dienende)
Sjata, die Schwester von Visakha Maha Upasika, heiratete den Sohn von Anata Pindika. Sie war nicht nur wohlhabend, sondern auch anziehend. Im Heim von Anata Pindika wurde sie jedoch für nahezu alle Familienmitglieder unakzeptierbar und auch für die Dienerschaft war sie nicht mehr zu ertragen. Sie war sehr streitsüchtig und ihr Verhalten entsprang stets ihrer eigenen Einbildung.
Eines Tages bot Anata Pindika in seinem Haus Speisen Buddha und seinen Bhikkhus dar und waerend diesem Mahl, verursache sie abermals einen Tumult im Haushalt. Buddha, die Natur dieser Frau zu kennen, fragte nach ihrem Streit, welcher den Frieden des Hauses stoerte. Buddha fragte sie sodann: "Es gibt sieben Arten von Frauen, hast du eine Ahnung zu welcher Art du zaehlst?" Sie antwortete, das sie es nicht wisse. Buddha sagte: "Eine Frau die sich in keiner Weise anpasst und stets einen Grund findet mit ihrem Mann oder Mitgliedern der Familie zu streiten, nennt man ein aufsässige Frau. Eine Frau die der Verschwendung abgewandt vom Glück ihres Mannes zugeneigt ist, sich vergnügt, spielt und trinkt, nennt man eine diebische Frau; eine Frau die einen guten Nutzen aus der Gutmütigkeit ihres Mannes zieht, sich eine ansprucherhebende Position aneignet in einer Art über ihn und die Familie und seine Geschäfte zu kontrollieren, nennt man eine dominante Frau; wenn aber eine Frau auf ihren Mann und seine Interessen mit Rücksicht und Hingebung achtet, wie eine Mutter über ihr Kind, nennt man diese Frau eine mütterliche; weiters wenn eine Frau von Natur aus gehorsam und schüchtern wie eine Schwester zu ihrem Bruder ist, gehört sie zu der schwesterlichen Art; und eine Frau die zu jeder Gegebenheit die Freude und das Unglück ihres Mannes teilt gehört zu jenen die man freundschaftlich nennt; schließlich gibt es auch Frauen, die in Toleranz zu den Launen und Abneigungen ihres Mannes lebt und ihn mit Hingabe und Treue dient, nennt man die dienende Art.
Im licht der Wahrheit erlangte Sujata die Einsicht über die Früchte des ersten Stufe (Sotapatti). Im weiteren verlauf der Zeremonie, bemerkte Buddha, dass jene Frauen unter den ersten drei Klassen eine Existenz in den Höllen Bereichen nach dem Tod erwartet und ungeahnten Schmerz in den unerlöschbaren Flammenerfahren werden. Die bleibenden vier Arten von Frauen würden nicht nur in jetzigen Leben Freude und Glück finden, auch nach dem Tod wurde sich der Segen in den himmlischen Bereichen fortsetzen. Auf die Frage von Buddha, welche Art der Frau sie den sein moege, waehlte sie freudig die Dienende, da ihre Aufgabe sei, ihrem Mann treu und mit Hingabe zu dienen, wie eine Dienerin gegenüber ihrem Meister.
An dieser Stelle sei vielleicht gut über die schönen und freudvolle Leben die der Prinz Siddhattha und seine Frau Yasldhara gemeinsam seit der Zeit des Dipankara Buddhas bis zur entgueltigen Erleuchtung als Buddha führten, zu berichten. Nahe zu in jedem Leben, lebten sie zusammen in Frieden und Freude.
Eine holprige Uebersetzung aus dem Mangala Sutta - Uannana von Bhikkhu K. Gunaratana Thera
Eine wahrscheinlich korrektere Fassung habe ich nur in englisch gefunden, vielleicht kennt jemand eine deutsche Quelle.
ZitatAlles anzeigenThe Family of Anathapindika
Anathapindika was happily married. His wife, Puññalakkhana, which means "the one who has the mark of merit," lived up to her name, and as the good spirit of the house, she took care of the servants and of the monks who came at midday. She too, was devoted to the Teaching. Through her brother, who had been one of the first lay disciples of the Buddha, she had become familiar with the Teaching.
Anathapindika had four children, three daughters and a son. Two of the daughters, Little Subhadda and Big Subhadda, were steeped in the Dhamma like their father and had attained stream-entry. And just as they took after their father in spiritual matters, so they did in worldly affairs; they were both happily married. But the youngest daughter, Sumana, surpassed even the rest of her family in her deep wisdom. Upon hearing the Buddha, she had quickly attained the second step of purification, becoming a once-returner. She did not marry, but not because she had renounced marriage. In fact, when she saw the happiness of her two sisters, she became sad and lonely. Her spiritual strength did not suffice to overcome her depression. To the deep sorrow of her family, she wasted away, eating nothing, starving to death. She was reborn in the Tusita heaven, the highest form of existence in the sensual realm, and there she had to purge herself of the residue of dependence on other people, her last desire directed outwardly. (Dhp Comy)
The only son of Anathapindika, Kala the Dark One, was at first a strain on his father's house. He did not want to know anything of the Teaching, immersing himself completely in his business affairs. Then one day his father urged him to observe a holy day, offering him one thousand pieces of gold if he would keep the Uposatha day. Kala consented, and soon found it relaxing to take one day of the week off from business to enjoy himself in the company of his family. Because of this, the fasting regulations of the Uposatha day did not weigh too heavily on him. Then his father made a second request and offered him another thousand if he would come to the monastery with him one holiday afternoon in order to listen to the Teaching. Kala gladly agreed and it became the turning point of his life. Through the discourse of the Enlightened One, he attained stream-entry. His daily life became ennobled, just as in his father's case, and he also became a major benefactor of the Order, known by the name of "Little Anathapindika." (Dhp Comy)
Kala was married to Sujata, a sister of the famous lay devotee Visakha, the mother of Migara.[1] She was very proud of her family background and her wealth on both sides. Because her thoughts revolved around nothing else but these trifles, she could not arouse any noble thoughts. She was unfulfilled, dissatisfied and peevish, and she vented her unhappiness on others. This was seen in the hostile and angry way in which she treated everyone. She would beat her servants, and whenever she appeared she spread fear and terror. Nor did she fellow the rules of propriety in her relations with her parents-in-law and her husband. Thus she increasingly made herself and object to be scorned.
One day after a meal, as the Buddha was giving a discourse, much shouting and yelling was heard in the house as Sujata was again scolding the servants. The Enlightened One interrupted his discourse and asked Anathapindika what kind of a commotion this was, that sounded like the noisy shouts of fisher folk. The householder answered that it was his own daughter-in-law, who did not behave properly towards her husband or his parents, who did not give alms, who was faithless and unbelieving, and who was forever causing conflict.
Then an unusual thing happened: the Buddha asked that she be called. When she appeared before him, he asked her which of the seven types of wives she wanted to be. She replied that she did not understand the meaning of this, and asked for more explanation. So the Enlightened One described the seven kinds of wives to her in verse:
Who, with mind corrupted, is unfeeling
Loves other men but her husband despises,
He who with wealth has gained her
She even seeks to kill — a Slayer is such a wife.
Whatever her husband gets for her by trade,
By skilled profession or a farmer's work,
She tries to filch a little just for herself.
Such a wife may well be called a Thief.
The slothful glutton, bent on idling,
A woman rude and fierce with coarse speech,
He who supports her, she dominates.
Such a wife a Tyrant must be called.
She who always for her husband cares
With sympathy, like a mother for her son,
Who carefully guards his stored-up wealth,
Such a wife may Motherly be called.
She who holds her husband in the same regard
As younger sister holds the elder born,
Who humbly serves her husband's every wish,
As Sisterly is such a wife known.
She whom her husband's sight will always please,
Like friends who see each other after long a time,
Who nobly bred and virtuous, devoted to her husband,
A Friend is she as well as wife.
From anger free, afraid of punishment,
Who bears with her husband with patient heart,
And without grudge obeys his every wish,
A Handmaid is she and a wife.
Who is called a Slayer, a Tyrant, or a Thief,
Who is rude, unvirtuous, and disrespectful,
Such kinds of wives will on their death
To hellish worlds of misery depart.
But wives like Mother, Sister, Friend and Handmaid,
Firm in virtue, imbued with long termed self-control,
Such kinds of wives will on their death
To happy destinies depart.
"These, Sujata, are the seven kinds of wives a man may have," said the Blessed One, "and which of them are you?"
Deeply moved, Sujata replied that from then on she would strive to be a handmaid to her husband. The words of the Enlightened One had shown her how to conduct herself as a wife. Later she became a faithful disciple of the Buddha, to whom she was ever grateful for her salvation.
News of the conversion of Sujata quickly spread. One evening when the Buddha came into the lecture hall and asked what conversation the monks were having, they reported that they were discussing the miracle of the Dhamma. They had been praising the mighty power of an Awakened One who had made such a charming wife out of the former house dragon Sujata. Thereupon the Buddha told them how he had already tamed her once in an earlier existence. That time, she had been his mother, and he had stopped her scolding and domineering through a comparison between the odious crows and the sweet songbirds. (J 269; AN 7.59)
Finally, mention is made of a nephew of Anathapindika. He had inherited a fortune of forty million but lived a wild life, squandering, drinking, and gambling everything away. He gave away thousands to various entertainers, women, and obliging friends. When he had exhausted his inheritance, he asked his wealthy uncle for support. His uncle gave him a thousand gold pieces and told him that he should use this to start a business. But again he wasted all of his money, and appeared once more at the palace of Anathapindika, who this time gave him five times as much as before, without a single condition, but as a severance. But even the warning that this would be the last of the money did not keep the nephew from his wasteful ways. For the third time he begged his uncle for money. Anathapindika gave the young man two pieces of clothing, but he wasted these, too, and was shameless enough to call on his uncle for a fourth time. This time, however, he was told to leave. If he had come as one of the many beggars and not as a demanding nephew, he certainly would not have asked in vain for sustenance from the house of Anathapindika. But this he did not do, for he did not want almsfood but money to squander.
Because he was too lazy and stubborn to earn his own living, yet was not willing to beg, he died wretchedly. His body was found at the city wall and was thrown onto the refuse pile. When Anathapindika heard of this, he asked himself whether he could have prevented this sad ending. He told the Buddha the story and asked if he should have acted differently. The Buddha, however, resolved his misgivings, and in his omniscience explained how that nephew belonged to the fortunately small number of insatiable people who were like bottomless vats. He had perished because of real external needs, and this same situation had already occurred in earlier lives. (J 291)
