user-1: Does Buddhism describe how best to live a married life? Please provide some short excerpts. Thank you.

user-1: In DN 31 the Buddha saw a young householder "with palms together held up in reverence, [...] paying respect towards the six directions: that is east, south, west, north, lower and upper."
The Buddha, after asking what he was doing, said:

"But, young man, that is not how the six directions should be worshipped according to the discipline of the noble ones."

...and then, proceeded to explain it. At some point, he said:

"And how, young man, does the noble disciple protect the six directions? These six directions should be known: mother and father as the east, teachers as the south, spouse and family as the west, friends and colleagues as the north, workers and servants as the lower direction, and ascetics and Brahmans as the upper direction.
[...]
"In five ways should a wife as the western direction be respected by a husband: by honoring, not disrespecting, being faithful, sharing authority, and by giving gifts.
"And, the wife so respected reciprocates with compassion in five ways: by being well-organized, being kindly disposed to the in-laws and household workers, being faithful, looking after the household goods, and being skillful and diligent in all duties.
In this way, the western direction is protected and made peaceful and secure.


user-1: Here is a quote from the Anguttara Nikaya where the Buddha explains how to live together in a marriage.

53 (3) Living Together (1)
On one occasion the Blessed One was traveling along the high- way between Madhurā and Verañjā. A number of male and female householders were also traveling along the same high- way. Then the Blessed One left the highway and sat down at the foot of a tree. The male and female householders saw the Blessed One sitting there and approached him, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to them:
“Householders, there are these four ways of living together. What four? A wretch lives together with a wretch;739 a wretch lives together with a female deva; a deva lives together with a wretch; a deva lives together with a female deva.
(1) “And how, householders, does a wretch live together with a wretch? [58] Here, the husband is one who destroys life, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsely, and indulges in liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness; he is immoral, of bad character; he dwells at home with a heart obsessed by the stain of miserli- ness; he insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. And his wife is also one who destroys life . . . she insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. It is in such a way that a wretch lives together with a wretch.
(2) “And how does a wretch live together with a female deva? Here, the husband is one who destroys life . . . he insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. But his wife is one who abstains from the destruction of life, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, and from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness; she is virtuous, of good character; she dwells at home with a heart free from the stain of miserliness; she does not insult or revile ascetics and
  brahmins. It is in such a way that a wretch lives together with a female deva.
(3) “And how does a deva live together with a wretch? Here, the husband is one who abstains from the destruction of life . . . he does not insult or revile ascetics and brahmins. But his wife is one who destroys life . . . she insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. It is in such a way that a deva lives together with a wretch.
(4) “And how does a deva live together with a female deva? Here, the husband is one who abstains from the destruction of life . . . he does not insult or revile ascetics and brahmins. And his wife is also one who abstains from the destruction of life . . . she does not insult or revile ascetics and brahmins. It is in such a way that a deva lives together with a female deva. [59]
  “These are the four ways of living together.”
When both are immoral, miserly and abusive, husband and wife
  live together as wretches.
The husband is immoral, miserly and abusive,
  but his wife is virtuous, charitable, generous.
  She is a female deva living with a wretched husband.
The husband is virtuous, charitable, generous,
  but his wife is immoral, miserly and abusive. She is a wretch living with a deva husband.
Both husband and wife are endowed with faith, charitable and self-controlled,
  living their lives righteously,
  addressing each other with pleasant words.
Then many benefits accrue to them and they dwell at ease.
  Their enemies are saddened
  when both are the same in virtue.
Having practiced the Dhamma here,
  the same in virtuous behavior and observances, delighting [after death] in a deva world,
  they rejoice, enjoying sensual pleasures.
-- AN: 53, p. 443-445, Bodhi translation


user5715: The Access to Insight website has a number of related translations and essays;
Suttas

How to ensure that you'll be with your spouse in future lives: AN 4.55
Spouses' duties to each other: DN 31

Essays

"A Single Mind" (Fuang)
A Happy Married Life: A Buddhist Perspective (Dhammananda)
Nothing Higher to Live For (Nyanasobhano)
Buddhism and Sex (Walshe)

It all seems to boil down to "be ethical". Although on the other hand ideally one would not get married, but would take up celibacy and reject family life. For example in the Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta the Buddha says:

so tena saddhāpaṭilābhena samannāgato iti paṭisañcikkhati — ‘sambādho gharāvāso rajopatho, abbhokāso pabbajjā. nayidaṃ sukaraṃ agāraṃ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṃ ekantaparisuddhaṃ saṅkhalikhitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ carituṃ. [MN 27; i.179
And having become possessed of faith [from hearing the dhamma] he thinks: household life is crowed and dirty; having gone forth one is wide open. It is not easy to live the religious life, so perfect and pure like a polished shell, while living in a home.

In short the best way to do marriage, is not to do it all, but to dedicate yourself to practising the Dharma.
This question is similar to a previous one:
What does a traditional Buddhist wedding look like?

-1: <p>Does Buddhism describe how best to live a married life? Please provide some short excerpts. Thank you.</p>
 -1: <p>In <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.ksw0.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DN 31</a> the Buddha saw a young householder &quot;with palms together held up in reverence, [...] paying respect towards the six directions: that is east, south, west, north, lower and upper.&quot;</p>
<p>The Buddha, after asking what he was doing, said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;But, young man, that is not how the six directions should be worshipped according to the discipline of the noble ones.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>...and then, proceeded to explain it. At some point, he said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;And how, young man, does the noble disciple protect the six directions? These six directions should be known: mother and father as the east, teachers as the south, spouse and family as the west, friends and colleagues as the north, workers and servants as the lower direction, and ascetics and Brahmans as the upper direction.<br />
[...]</p>
<p>&quot;In five ways should a wife as the western direction be respected by a husband: by honoring, not disrespecting, being faithful, sharing authority, and by giving gifts.</p>
<p>&quot;And, the wife so respected reciprocates with compassion in five ways: by being well-organized, being kindly disposed to the in-laws and household workers, being faithful, looking after the household goods, and being skillful and diligent in all duties.</p>
<p>In this way, the western direction is protected and made peaceful and secure.</p>
</blockquote>
 -1: <p>Here is a quote from the Anguttara Nikaya where the Buddha explains how to live together in a marriage.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>53 (3) Living Together (1)</strong></p>
  
  <p>On one occasion the Blessed One was traveling along the high- way between Madhurā and Verañjā. A number of male and female householders were also traveling along the same high- way. Then the Blessed One left the highway and sat down at the foot of a tree. The male and female householders saw the Blessed One sitting there and approached him, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to them:</p>
  
  <p>“Householders, there are these four ways of living together. What four? A wretch lives together with a wretch;739 a wretch lives together with a female deva; a deva lives together with a wretch; a deva lives together with a female deva.</p>
  
  <p>(1) “And how, householders, does a wretch live together with a wretch? [58] Here, the husband is one who destroys life, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsely, and indulges in liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness; he is immoral, of bad character; he dwells at home with a heart obsessed by the stain of miserli- ness; he insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. And his wife is also one who destroys life . . . she insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. It is in such a way that a wretch lives together with a wretch.</p>
  
  <p>(2) “And how does a wretch live together with a female deva? Here, the husband is one who destroys life . . . he insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. But his wife is one who abstains from the destruction of life, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, and from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness; she is virtuous, of good character; she dwells at home with a heart free from the stain of miserliness; she does not insult or revile ascetics and
  brahmins. It is in such a way that a wretch lives together with a female deva.</p>
  
  <p>(3) “And how does a deva live together with a wretch? Here, the husband is one who abstains from the destruction of life . . . he does not insult or revile ascetics and brahmins. But his wife is one who destroys life . . . she insults and reviles ascetics and brahmins. It is in such a way that a deva lives together with a wretch.</p>
  
  <p>(4) “And how does a deva live together with a female deva? Here, the husband is one who abstains from the destruction of life . . . he does not insult or revile ascetics and brahmins. And his wife is also one who abstains from the destruction of life . . . she does not insult or revile ascetics and brahmins. It is in such a way that a deva lives together with a female deva. [59]
  “These are the four ways of living together.”</p>
  
  <p>When both are immoral, miserly and abusive, husband and wife
  live together as wretches.</p>
  
  <p>The husband is immoral, miserly and abusive,
  but his wife is virtuous, charitable, generous.
  She is a female deva living with a wretched husband.</p>
  
  <p>The husband is virtuous, charitable, generous,
  but his wife is immoral, miserly and abusive. She is a wretch living with a deva husband.</p>
  
  <p>Both husband and wife are endowed with faith, charitable and self-controlled,
  living their lives righteously,
  addressing each other with pleasant words.</p>
  
  <p>Then many benefits accrue to them and they dwell at ease.
  Their enemies are saddened
  when both are the same in virtue.</p>
  
  <p>Having practiced the Dhamma here,
  the same in virtuous behavior and observances, delighting [after death] in a deva world,
  they rejoice, enjoying sensual pleasures.</p>
  
  <p>-- AN: 53, p. 443-445, Bodhi translation</p>
</blockquote>
 5715: <p>The Access to Insight website has a number of related translations and essays;</p>
<p><strong>Suttas</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>How to ensure that you'll be with your spouse in future lives: <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.055.than.html" rel="noreferrer">AN 4.55</a></li>
<li>Spouses' duties to each other: <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.31.0.nara.html#to-spouse" rel="noreferrer">DN 31</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Essays</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/fuang/single.html" rel="noreferrer">&quot;A Single Mind&quot;</a> (Fuang)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/dhammananda/marriage.html" rel="noreferrer">A Happy Married Life: A Buddhist Perspective</a> (Dhammananda)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/price/bl124.html" rel="noreferrer">Nothing Higher to Live For</a> (Nyanasobhano)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/walshe/wheel225.html" rel="noreferrer">Buddhism and Sex</a> (Walshe)</li>
</ul>
<p>It all seems to boil down to &quot;be ethical&quot;. Although on the other hand ideally one would not get married, but would take up celibacy and reject family life. For example in the <em>Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta</em> the Buddha says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>so tena saddhāpaṭilābhena samannāgato iti paṭisañcikkhati — ‘sambādho gharāvāso rajopatho, abbhokāso pabbajjā. nayidaṃ sukaraṃ agāraṃ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṃ ekantaparisuddhaṃ saṅkhalikhitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ carituṃ.</em> [MN 27; i.179</p>
<p>And having become possessed of faith [from hearing the dhamma] he thinks: household life is crowed and dirty; having gone forth one is wide open. It is not easy to live the religious life, so perfect and pure like a polished shell, while living in a home.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In short the best way to do marriage, is not to do it all, but to dedicate yourself to practising the Dharma.</p>
<p>This question is similar to a previous one:</p>
<p><a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/3766/what-does-a-traditional-buddhist-wedding-look-like/3769#3769">What does a traditional Buddhist wedding look like?</a></p>
