SN37 Linked Discourses on Females
First Chapter of Abbreviated Texts
SN37.1 A Lady
“Mendicants, when a lady has five factors she is extremely undesirable to a man. What five? She’s not attractive, wealthy, or ethical; she’s idle, and she doesn’t beget children. When a lady has these five factors she is extremely undesirable to a man. When a lady has five factors she is extremely desirable to a man. What five? She’s attractive, wealthy, and ethical; she’s deft and tireless, and she begets children. When a lady has these five factors she is extremely desirable to a man.”
SN37.2 A Man
“Mendicants, when a man has five factors he is extremely undesirable to a lady. What five? He’s not attractive, wealthy, or ethical; he’s idle, and he doesn’t beget children. When a man has these five factors he is extremely undesirable to a lady. When a man has five factors he is extremely desirable to a lady. What five? He’s attractive, wealthy, and ethical; he’s deft and tireless, and he begets children. When a man has these five factors he is extremely desirable to a lady.”
SN37.3 Particular Suffering
“Mendicants, there are these five kinds of suffering that particularly apply to ladies. They’re undergone by ladies and not by men. What five? Firstly, a lady, while still young, goes to live with her husband’s family and is separated from her relatives. This is the first kind of suffering that particularly applies to ladies. Furthermore, a lady undergoes the menstrual cycle. This is the second kind of suffering that particularly applies to ladies. Furthermore, a lady undergoes pregnancy. This is the third kind of suffering that particularly applies to ladies. Furthermore, a lady gives birth. This is the fourth kind of suffering that particularly applies to ladies. Furthermore, a lady provides services for a man. This is the fifth kind of suffering that particularly applies to ladies. These are the five kinds of suffering that particularly apply to ladies. They’re undergone by ladies and not by men.”
SN37.4 Three Qualities
“Mendicants, when ladies have three qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are mostly reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. What three? A lady lives at home with heart full of the stain of stinginess in the morning, jealousy in the afternoon, and sexual desire in the evening. When ladies possess these three qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are mostly reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.”
SN37.5 Irritable
Then Venerable Anuruddha went up to the Buddha, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sometimes, sir, with my clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I see that a female—when her body breaks up, after death—is reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. How many qualities do ladies have so that they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell?”
“Anuruddha, when ladies have five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. What five? They’re faithless, shameless, imprudent, irritable, and witless. When ladies possess these five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.”
SN37.6 Acrimony
“… They’re faithless, shameless, imprudent, acrimonious, and witless. …”
SN37.7 Jealous
“… They’re faithless, shameless, imprudent, jealous, and witless. …”
SN37.8 Stingy
“… They’re faithless, shameless, imprudent, stingy, and witless. …”
SN37.9 Adultery
“… They’re faithless, shameless, imprudent, adulterous, and witless. …”
SN37.10 Unethical
“… They’re faithless, shameless, imprudent, unethical, and witless. …”
SN37.11 Unlearned
“… They’re faithless, shameless, imprudent, unlearned, and witless. …”
SN37.12 Lazy
“… They’re faithless, shameless, imprudent, lazy, and witless. …”
SN37.13 Unmindful
“… They’re faithless, shameless, imprudent, unmindful, and witless. …”
SN37.14 Five Threats
“Anuruddha, when ladies have five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. What five? They kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, and consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. When ladies possess these five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.”
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Second Chapter of Abbreviated Texts
SN37.15 Loving
Then Venerable Anuruddha went up to the Buddha … and asked him, “Sometimes, sir, with my clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I see that a female—when her body breaks up, after death—is reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. How many qualities do ladies have so that they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm?”
“Anuruddha, when ladies have five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. What five? They’re faithful, conscientious, prudent, loving, and wise. When ladies possess these five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.”
SN37.16 Free of Acrimony
“… They’re faithful, conscientious, prudent, free of acrimony, and wise. …”
SN37.17 Free of Jealousy
“… They’re faithful, conscientious, prudent, free of jealousy, and wise. …”
SN37.18 Free of Stinginess
“… They’re faithful, conscientious, prudent, free of stinginess, and wise. …”
SN37.19 Not Adulterous
“… They’re faithful, conscientious, prudent, not adulterous, and wise. …”
SN37.20 Ethical
“… They’re faithful, conscientious, prudent, ethical, and wise. …”
SN37.21 Very Learned
“… They’re faithful, conscientious, prudent, learned, and wise. …”
SN37.22 Energetic
“… They’re faithful, conscientious, prudent, energetic, and wise. …”
SN37.23 Mindful
“… They’re faithful, conscientious, prudent, mindful, and wise. …”
SN37.24 Five Precepts
“Anuruddha, when ladies have five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. What five? They don’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. When ladies possess these five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.”
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The Chapter on Powers
SN37.25 Assured
“Mendicants, there are these five powers of a lady. What five? Attractiveness, wealth, relatives, children, and ethical behavior. These are the five powers of a lady. A lady living at home with these five qualities is self-assured.”
SN37.26 Under Her Thumb
“Mendicants, there are these five powers of a lady. What five? Attractiveness, wealth, relatives, children, and ethical behavior. These are the five powers of a lady. A lady living at home with these five powers has her husband under her thumb.”
SN37.27 Mastered
“Mendicants, there are these five powers of a lady. What five? Attractiveness, wealth, relatives, children, and ethical behavior. These are the five powers of a lady. A lady with these five powers lives having mastered her husband.”
SN37.28 One
“Mendicants, by means of one power a man lives having mastered a lady. By means of what one power? When a lady has been mastered by the power of authority, her powers of attractiveness, wealth, relatives, children, and ethical behavior do not avail her.”
SN37.29 In That Respect
“Mendicants, there are these five powers of a lady. What five? Attractiveness, wealth, relatives, children, and ethical behavior. A lady who has the power of attractiveness but not the power of wealth is incomplete in that respect. But when she has the power of attractiveness and the power of wealth she’s complete in that respect. A lady who has the powers of attractiveness and wealth, but not the power of relatives is incomplete in that respect. But when she has the powers of attractiveness, wealth, and relatives she’s complete in that respect. A lady who has the powers of attractiveness, wealth, and relatives, but not the power of children is incomplete in that respect. But when she has the powers of attractiveness, wealth, relatives, and children she’s complete in that respect. A lady who has the powers of attractiveness, wealth, relatives, and children, but not the power of ethical behavior is incomplete in that respect. But when she has the powers of attractiveness, wealth, relatives, children, and ethical behavior she’s complete in that respect. These are the five powers of a lady.”
SN37.30 They Send Her Away
“Mendicants, there are these five powers of a lady. What five? Attractiveness, wealth, relatives, children, and ethical behavior. If a lady has the power of attractiveness but not that of ethical behavior, the family will send her away, they won’t accommodate her. If a lady has the powers of attractiveness and wealth but not that of ethical behavior, the family will send her away, they won’t accommodate her. If a lady has the powers of attractiveness, wealth, and relatives, but not that of ethical behavior, the family will send her away, they won’t accommodate her. If a lady has the powers of attractiveness, wealth, relatives, and children, but not that of ethical behavior, the family will send her away, they won’t accommodate her. If a lady has the power of ethical behavior but not that of attractiveness, the family will accommodate her, they won’t send her away. If a lady has the power of ethical behavior but not that of wealth, the family will accommodate her, they won’t send her away. If a lady has the power of ethical behavior but not that of relatives, the family will accommodate her, they won’t send her away. If a lady has the power of ethical behavior but not that of children, the family will accommodate her, they won’t send her away. These are the five powers of a lady.”
SN37.31 Cause
“Mendicants, there are these five powers of a lady. What five? Attractiveness, wealth, relatives, children, and ethical behavior. It is not because of the powers of attractiveness, wealth, relatives, or children that ladies, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. It is because of the power of ethical behavior that ladies, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. These are the five powers of a lady.”
SN37.32 Things
“Mendicants, there are five things that are hard to get for ladies who have not made merit. What five? ‘May I be born into a suitable family!’ This is the first thing. ‘Having been born in a suitable family, may I marry into a suitable family!’ This is the second thing. ‘Having been born in a suitable family and married into a suitable family, may I live at home without a co-wife!’ This is the third thing. ‘Having been born in a suitable family, and married into a suitable family, and living at home without a co-wife, may I have children!’ This is the fourth thing. ‘Having been born in a suitable family, and married into a suitable family, and living at home without a co-wife, and having had children, may I live having mastered my husband!’ This is the fifth thing. These are the five things that are hard to get for ladies who have not made merit.
There are five things that are easy to get for ladies who have made merit. What five? ‘May I be born into a suitable family!’ This is the first thing. ‘Having been born into a suitable family, may I marry into a suitable family!’ This is the second thing. ‘Having been born into a suitable family and married into a suitable family, may I live at home without a co-wife!’ This is the third thing. ‘Having been born into a suitable family, and married into a suitable family, and living at home without a co-wife, may I have children!’ This is the fourth thing. ‘Having been born into a suitable family, and married into a suitable family, and living at home without a co-wife, and having had children, may I live having mastered my husband!’ This is the fifth thing. These are the five things that are easy to get for ladies who have made merit.”
SN37.33 Living With Self-Assurance
“Mendicants, a lady living at home with five qualities is self-assured. What five? She doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. A lady living at home with these five qualities is self-assured.”
SN37.34 Growth
“Mendicants, a female noble disciple who grows in five ways grows nobly, taking on what is essential and excellent in this life. What five? She grows in faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. A female noble disciple who grows in these five ways grows nobly, taking on what is essential and excellent in this life.
When she grows in faith and ethics, wisdom, and both generosity and learning—a virtuous laywoman such as she takes on what is essential for herself in this life.”
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The Linked Discourses on ladies are complete.