Aṅguttara-Nikāya
II. Dukanipāta
The Numbers Bag
The Book of Twos
I. Kammakāraṇa Vagga
Doing Deeds
In the Name of the Potter
Aristocrat
Number One High Awakened One
Sutta 9
Carrying On
Translated from the Pāḷi by Michael M. Olds
Translator's Introduction:
Previously I have translated this sutta hearing "nayidha paññāyetha mātā ti vā mātucchā ti vā mātulānī ... " as does Woodward, as "then there would be seen no mother or mother's sister ..." [emphasis, mine]. And, since in the case of what is seen, it would not be that 'mothers' would not be seen, but that fathers would not be seen [known for certain], I reversed the genders. In this translation I have looked more closely and see that what is intended is the notion of women who are [to be or] not to be considered as elegible for casual sexual indulgence. So I believe what I have here is closer to the Pāḷi.
The paragraph describing the consequences to the world of being without the protections of sense of shame and fear of blame has also taken a turn here that is, I believe, more closely aligned with the Pāḷi. Woodward and Ireland, in a most reasonable way, take "aje'akā kukkuṭa-sūkarā sona-sigālā" as a list of promiscuous animals; Bhk. Thanissaro, in what looks like an attempt to come more closely into line with the Pāḷi, indicates pairs just slightly, in my opinion, missing the humor.
The Pāḷi gives us three compounds: sheep-rams, pig-roosters, jackal-dogs. The PTS Pāḷi inserts hyphens. Bhk. Thanissaro reads that as pairings, linking the pairs with the word "with": "roosters with pigs," etc. I am taking them at their face value: pig-roosters, etc. pointing not to the state of promiscuity, but to the consequences.
[9][pts][than][irel] Two good things, beggars, protect the world.
What two?
Sense of shame and fear of blame.
If, beggars, these two good things
did not protect the world,
there would be no notion here
of 'this is a mother',
'this is a maternal aunt',
'this is a maternal uncle's wife',
'this is a teacher's wife',
'these are the women of a powerful man'.
The world would become confusion
giving us such as sheep-rams,
pig-roosters,
jackal-dogs.
But since, beggars, there are these two good things
protecting the world
there is the notion here
of 'this is a mother',
'this is a maternal aunt',
'this is a maternal uncle's wife',
'this is a teacher's wife',
'these are the women of a powerful man'.
