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3. The Householders Chapter 1. The First Ugga Sutta 21. At one time the Blessed One was staying at Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Gabled Hall. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, remember Ugga the householder of Vesālī as one endowed with eight wonderful and amazing qualities.” This the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One rose from his seat and entered his dwelling. Then a certain bhikkhu, having dressed in the morning, taking his bowl and robe, went to the dwelling of Ugga the householder of Vesālī; having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Then Ugga the householder of Vesālī approached that bhikkhu; having approached, he saluted that bhikkhu and sat down to one side. To Ugga the householder of Vesālī, sitting to one side, that bhikkhu said this: “You, householder, have been declared by the Blessed One as one endowed with eight wonderful and amazing qualities. What are these eight wonderful and amazing qualities, householder, with which you are endowed, and by which you have been declared by the Blessed One?” “Indeed, venerable sir, I do not know with what eight wonderful and amazing qualities I have been declared by the Blessed One. But, venerable sir, listen to those eight wonderful and amazing qualities that exist in me, pay careful attention; I shall speak.” “Yes, householder,” that bhikkhu replied to Ugga the householder of Vesālī. Ugga the householder of Vesālī said this: “When, venerable sir, I first saw the Blessed One from afar; immediately upon seeing him, venerable sir, my mind became clear towards the Blessed One. This, venerable sir, is my first wonderful and amazing quality that exists.” “Then, venerable sir, with a clear mind, I attended upon the Blessed One. To me, the Blessed One gave a gradual discourse, that is—a discourse on giving, a discourse on virtue, a discourse on heaven; the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, the degradation He declared the danger in defilements, the advantage in renunciation. When the Blessed One knew me with a ready mind, with a soft mind, with a mind free from hindrances, with an uplifted mind, with a confident mind, then he declared that teaching which is the most excellent of the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, the path. Just as a clean cloth, free from stains, would perfectly absorb dye; even so, right on that very seat, there arose in me the dustless, stainless Eye of Dhamma: 'Whatever is subject to arising, all that is subject to cessation.' So I, venerable sir, having seen the Dhamma, having attained the Dhamma, having understood the Dhamma, having penetrated the Dhamma, having crossed over doubt, having put away perplexity, having attained fearlessness, independent of others in the Teacher's Dispensation, right there went for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha, and undertook the precepts with celibacy as the fifth. This, venerable sir, is my second wonderful, astonishing quality. I, venerable sir, had four young wives. Then I, venerable sir, approached those wives; having approached, I said to those wives: 'Sisters, I have undertaken the precepts with celibacy as the fifth. Whoever wishes may enjoy the possessions here and do good deeds, or may go to her own family. Or if there is a man she desires, to whom shall I give you?' When this was said, venerable sir, my eldest wife said to me: 'Give me, dear sir, to such-and-such a man.' Then I, venerable sir, had that man called, and taking my wife with my left hand, and taking a water-pot with my right hand, I gave her to that man. And I, venerable sir, when giving away a young wife, do not recall any change of mind. This, venerable sir, is my third wonderful, astonishing quality. And there are, venerable sir, my ku those enjoyments. And they are not shared with the virtuous, with those of good conduct. This, venerable sir, is my fourth amazing, astounding quality. “And, venerable sir, when I attend upon a monk, I attend upon him respectfully, not disrespectfully. This, venerable sir, is my fifth amazing, astounding quality. “If, venerable sir, that venerable one teaches me the Dhamma, I listen respectfully, not disrespectfully. If that venerable one does not teach me the Dhamma, I teach him the Dhamma. This, venerable sir, is my sixth amazing, astounding quality. “And, venerable sir, deities come to me and announce, ‘Well-proclaimed, householder, is the Dhamma by the Blessed One.’ When this is said, venerable sir, I say to those deities, ‘Whether you deities say so or not, still, well-proclaimed is the Dhamma by the Blessed One.’ But, venerable sir, I do not acknowledge any elation of mind on that account— ‘Deities come to me, or I converse with deities.’ This, venerable sir, is my seventh amazing, astounding quality. “And, venerable sir, as for these five lower fetters taught by the Blessed One, I do not perceive any of them as not abandoned in myself. This, venerable sir, is my eighth amazing, astounding quality. These, venerable sir, are the eight amazing, astounding qualities that exist in me. But I do not know by which of these eight amazing, astounding qualities I have been declared by the Blessed One.” Then that monk, having received alms in the house of Ugga the householder of Vesālī, rose from his seat and departed. Then that monk, after his meal, having returned from his alms round, approached the Blessed One. He went; Having approached the Blessed One, Having saluted, He sat down to one side. Seated to one side, that bhikkhu Reported to the Blessed One All the conversation he had had With Ugga the householder of Vesāli. "Good, good, bhikkhu! Just as Ugga the householder of Vesāli Would rightly declare, So too, bhikkhu, Ugga the householder of Vesāli Has been declared by me As endowed with these eight Wonderful and amazing qualities. And, bhikkhu, Remember Ugga the householder of Vesāli As endowed with these eight Wonderful and amazing qualities." The First. 2. The Second Discourse on Ugga. At one time the Blessed One Was dwelling among the Vajjians, At Hatthigāma. There the Blessed One Addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, Remember Ugga the householder of Hatthigāma As endowed with eight Wonderful and amazing qualities." This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, The Fortunate One rose from his seat And entered the dwelling. Then a certain bhikkhu, Having dressed in the morning And taken his bowl and robe, Went to the residence Of Ugga the householder of Hatthigāma; Having approached, He sat down on the seat prepared. Then Ugga the householder of Hatthigāma Went to where that bhikkhu was; Having approached, He saluted that bhikkhu And sat down to one side. To Ugga the householder of Hatthigāma, Seated to one side, That bhikkhu said this: "Householder, You have been declared by the Blessed One As endowed with eight Wonderful and amazing qualities. What are those eight Wonderful and amazing qualities, householder, With which you are endowed And declared by the Blessed One?" "Indeed, venerable sir, I do not know With which eight Wonderful and amazing qualities I have been declared by the Blessed One. But, venerable sir, Listen to those eight Wonderful and amazing qualities That exist in me, Pay careful attention; I shall speak." "So it is, venerable sir," the bhikkhu replied to Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma. Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma, said this: "When I, venerable sir, was wandering in the Nāgāvana, I first saw the Blessed One from afar. Immediately upon seeing him, venerable sir, my mind became clear towards the Blessed One, and my intoxication with liquor vanished. This, venerable sir, is my first wonderful and astonishing quality that exists. "Then I, venerable sir, with a clear mind, approached and attended upon the Blessed One. To me, the Blessed One gave a gradual discourse, that is, a talk on giving, a talk on morality, a talk on heaven; he explained the danger, the degradation, the defilement of sensual pleasures, and the advantage of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew my mind to be ready, pliant, free from hindrances, uplifted, and clear, then he expounded the teaching peculiar to the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Just as a clean cloth, free from stains, readily absorbs the dye; even so, in that very seat, there arose in me the stainless, spotless Eye of Dhamma: 'Whatever is of an origin nature, all that is of a cessation nature.' Then I, venerable sir, having seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, penetrated the Dhamma, having crossed over doubt, having dispelled perplexity, having gained confidence, being independent of others in the Teacher's dispensation, right there took refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha, and undertook the training rules with the fifth as celibacy. This, venerable sir, is my second wonderful and astonishing quality that exists. "To me, venerable sir, there were four young wives. Then I, venerable sir, went to those wives; having gone, I said to those wives: 'Sisters, I have undertaken the training rules with the fifth as celibacy. Whoever wishes, let her enjoy wealth here and do meritorious deeds, or go to her own relatives' families." four. Or else, there was a man's wish, 'To whom shall I give her?' When this was said, she, venerable sir, my eldest wife, said to me: 'Give me, my dear, to so-and-so, that man.' Then, venerable sir, I had that man called, and taking my wife with my left hand, and taking a water-pot with my right hand, I poured the water for that man. And, venerable sir, when I gave away my maiden daughter, I am not aware of any change in my mind. This, venerable sir, is my third wonderful, amazing quality that exists. And, venerable sir, there are possessions in my family. And these are not divided with the virtuous and those of good conduct. This, venerable sir, is my fourth wonderful, amazing quality that exists. And, venerable sir,