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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

8: The Book of the Eights

17. Bondage (1)

1"Bhikkhus, a woman binds a man in eight ways. What eight? A woman binds a man by her form … by her smile … by her speech … by singing … by weeping … by her appearance … by a present[n.1668] Vanabhaṅgena. Lit., "by what is broken (from) the woods." Mp: "By a present, such as flowers or fruits, which are taken from the woods and brought to him." … by her touch.[n.1669] I translate on the basis of Ce and Ee. Be, in this sutta and the next, has a different eight means of binding, occurring in a different sequence, namely: by weeping, by a smile, by speech, by appearance, by a present, by scent, by taste, by touch (ruṇṇena, hasitena, bhaṇitena, ākappena, vanabhaṅgena, gandhena, rasena, phassena). Thus, apart from the change of sequence, Be replaces "form" and "singing" of Ce and Ee with "scent" and "taste." According to Mp, "appearance" (ākappa) means "the manner of dressing and so forth," but this may be too narrow. The Chinese parallel at EĀ II 765c24 –766a2 lists nine ways a woman binds a man: by singing, dancing, her skills, her touch, her smile, weeping, an expedient means, beautifying her face and body, and her appearance and deportment. A woman binds a man in these eight ways. Those beings are thoroughly bound who are bound by touch."[n.1670] I read with Ce and Be subaddhā yeva phassena baddhā. Ee has a variant reading here and in the next sutta: subaddhā yeva pāsena baddhā, "(they are) thoroughly bound who are bound by a snare."

1"Aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, ākārehi itthī purisaṁ bandhati. Katamehi aṭṭhahi? Ruṇṇena, bhikkhave, itthī purisaṁ bandhati; hasitena, bhikkhave, itthī purisaṁ bandhati; bhaṇitena, bhikkhave, itthī purisaṁ bandhati; ākappena, bhikkhave, itthī purisaṁ bandhati; vanabhaṅgena, bhikkhave, itthī purisaṁ bandhati; gandhena, bhikkhave, itthī purisaṁ bandhati; rasena, bhikkhave, itthī purisaṁ bandhati; phassena, bhikkhave, itthī purisaṁ bandhati. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhahākārehi itthī purisaṁ bandhati. Te, bhikkhave, sattā subaddhā, ye phassena baddhā"ti.

Sattamaṁ.