At one time the Buddha was staying in the province of Sāvatthī in Jeta’s garden, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Queen Mallikā went up to the Buddha, worshipped the Buddha respectfully, and sat down to one side. Then she asked the Buddha:
1.“What is the cause, Bhante? What is the reason why some women are ugly, unattractive, and bad-looking; and poor, with little wealth and few possessions; and not influential?
2. What is the cause, Bhante? What is the reason why some women are ugly, unattractive, and bad-looking; but rich, prosperous, wealthy, and influential?
3. What is the cause, Bhante? What is the reason why some women are attractive, good-looking, pretty, and gorgeous; but poor, with little wealth and few possessions; and not influential?
4. What is the cause, Bhante? What is the reason why some women are attractive, good-looking, pretty, and gorgeous; and rich, prosperous, wealthy, and influential?”
1.“In this case Mallikā, take a woman who is (i) irritable and bad-tempered. Even when criticized a little bit, she loses her temper, becoming annoyed, aggressive, and stubborn, and displaying irritation, hate, and bitterness. (ii) She doesn’t give to others such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; flowers, fragrance, and makeup, and bedding, housing, and lighting. (iii) And she’s jealous, envious ,resentful, and begrudging of the possessions, honor, respect, reverence, homage, and veneration given to others. If she is reborn as a human again after passing away, wherever she is reborn (i) she’s ugly, unattractive, and bad-looking; and (ii) poor, with little wealth and few possessions; and (iii) not influential.
2. “Mallikā, take another woman who is (i) irritable and bad-tempered. Even when criticized a little bit, she loses her temper, becoming annoyed, aggressive, and stubborn, and displaying irritation, hate, and bitterness. (ii) But she gives to others such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; flowers, fragrance, and makeup, and bedding, housing, and lighting. (iii) And she’s not jealous, envious, resentful, , and not begrudging of the possessions, honor, respect, reverence, homage, and veneration given to others. If she is reborn as a human again after passing away, wherever she is reborn, (i) she’s ugly, unattractive, and bad-looking; (ii) but rich, prosperous, wealthy, and (iii) influential.
3. “Mallikā, take another woman who (i) isn’t irritable and bad-tempered. Even when criticized a little bit, she doesn’t lose her temper; she isn’t annoyed, aggressive, and stubborn, and isn’t displaying irritation, hate, and bitterness. (ii) But she doesn’t give to others such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; flowers, fragrance, and makeup, and bedding, housing, and lighting. (iii) And she’s jealous, envious, resentful, , and begrudging of the possessions, honor, respect, reverence, homage, and veneration given to others. If she is reborn as a human again after passing away, wherever she is reborn (i) she’s attractive, good-looking, pretty, and gorgeous; (ii) but poor, with little wealth and few possessions; and (iii) not influential.
4. “Mallikā, take another woman who (i) isn’t irritable and bad-tempered. Even when criticized a little bit, she doesn’t lose her temper; she isn’t annoyed, aggressive, and stubborn, and isn’t displaying irritation, hate, and bitterness. (ii) She gives to others such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; flowers, fragrance, and makeup, and bedding, housing, and lighting. (iii) And she’s not jealous, envious, resentful, and not begrudging of the possessions, honor, respect, reverence, homage, and veneration given to others. If she is reborn as a human again after passing away, wherever she is reborn, (i) she’s attractive, good-looking, pretty, and gorgeous; and (ii) rich, prosperous, wealthy, and (iii) influential.
“Mallikā,
1.“This is why some women are ugly, unattractive, and bad-looking; and poor, with little wealth and few possessions; and not influential.
2. This is why some women are ugly, unattractive, and bad-looking; but rich, prosperous, wealthy, and influential.
3. This is why some women are attractive, good-looking, pretty, and gorgeous; but poor, with little wealth and few possessions; and not influential.
4. This is why some women are attractive, good-looking, pretty, and gorgeous; and rich, prosperous, wealthy, and influential.”
When the Buddha taught this Dhamma, Queen Mallikā said to the Buddha:
“Bhante, (i) in another life I must have been irritable and bad-tempered. Even when lightly criticized I must have lost my temper, becoming annoyed, aggressive, and stubborn, and displaying irritation, hate, and bitterness. That is why I am now ugly, unattractive, and bad-looking.
(ii) In another life I must have given others such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; flowers, fragrance, and makeup; and bedding, housing, and lighting. That is why I am now rich, prosperous, and wealthy.
(iii) In another life, I must not have been jealous, envious, resentful, and begrudging of the possessions, honor, respect, reverence, homage, and veneration given to others. That is why I am now influential. Bhante, in this royal family I hold authority over all the women.
“So, Bhante, from this day on, (i) I will not be irritable and bad-tempered. Even when heavily criticized I won’t lose my temper; become annoyed, aggressive, and stubborn, or display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. (ii) I will give to others such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; flowers, fragrance, and makeup, and bedding, housing, and lighting. (iii) I will not be jealous, envious, resentful, and begrudging the possessions, honor, respect, reverence, homage, and veneration given to others.
“Magnificent, Bhante! Magnificent, Bhante! Just as if a man were to set upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way the Dhamma has been made clear in many ways by the Blessed One. I go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the community of monks. May the Blessed One accept me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge to the Triple Gem, from today onwards, for as long as life lasts.”
