Learn about 'Nature of Women'
SN 37.1 Mātugāma Sutta: Agreeable and Disagreeable (1)
“Bhikkhus, when a woman possesses five factors she is extremely disagreeable to a man. What five? She is not beautiful, not wealthy, not virtuous; she is lethargic; and she does not beget children. When a woman possesses these five factors she is extremely disagreeable to a man. “
“Bhikkhus, when a woman possesses five factors she is extremely agreeable to a man. What five? She is beautiful, wealthy, and virtuous; she is clever and industrious; and she begets children. When a woman possesses these five factors she is extremely agreeable to a man.”
SN 36.2 Purisa Sutta: Agreeable and Disagreeable (2)
“Bhikkhus, when a man possesses five factors he is extremely disagreeable to a woman. What five? He is not handsome, not wealthy, not virtuous; he is lethargic; and he does not beget children. When a man possesses these five factors he is extremely disagreeable to a woman. “
“Bhikkhus, when a man possesses five factors he is extremely agreeable to a woman. What five? He is handsome, wealthy, and virtuous; he is clever and industrious; and he begets children. When a man possesses these five factors he is extremely agreeable to a woman.” (The same as the above.)
SN 37.3 Āveṇikadukkha Sutta: Particular
“Bhikkhus, there are five kinds of suffering particular to women, which women experience but not men. What five? Here, bhikkhus, even when young, a woman goes to live with her husband’s family and is separated from her relatives. This is the first kind of suffering particular to women …. Again, a woman is subject to menstruation. This is the second kind of suffering particular to women … Again, a woman becomes pregnant. This is the third kind of suffering particular to women …. Again, a woman gives birth. This is the fourth kind of suffering particular to women … . Again, a woman is made to serve a man. This is the fifth kind of suffering particular to women …. These, bhikkhus, are the five kinds of suffering peculiar to women, which women experience but not men.”
SN 37.4 Tīhidhammehi Sutta: Three Qualities
“Bhikkhus, when a woman possesses three qualities, with the breakup of the body, after death, she is generally reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. What are the three? Here, bhikkhus, in the morning a woman dwells at home with her heart obsessed by the taint of selfishness; at noon she dwells at home with her heart obsessed by envy; in the evening she dwells at home with her heart obsessed by sensual lust. When a woman possesses these three qualities … she is generally reborn in a state of misery … in hell.”
SN 37.5 Kodhana Sutta: Angry
Then the Venerable Anuruddha approached the Blessed One … and said to him: “Here, venerable sir, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, I see women, with the breakup of the body, after death, being reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. When a woman possesses how many qualities, venerable sir, is she reborn thus?”
“When, Anuruddha, a woman possesses five qualities, with the breakup of the body, after death, she is reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. What five? “
“She is without faith, shameless, unafraid of wrongdoing, angry, unwise. When a woman possesses these five qualities she is reborn in a state of misery … in hell.”
SN 37.6-13 Malicious, Etc.
“When, Anuruddha, a woman possesses five qualities, with the breakup of the body, after death, she is reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. What five? “
“She is without faith, shameless, unafraid of wrongdoing, malicious, envious … stingy … of loose conduct … immoral … unlearned … lazy … muddle-minded, unwise. When a woman possesses these five qualities she is reborn in a state of misery … in hell.”
SN 37.14 Pañcavera Sutta: The Five
“When, Anuruddha, a woman possesses five qualities, with the breakup up of the body, after death, she.is reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. What are the five? “
“She destroys life, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsehood, and indulges in wine, liquor, and intoxicants that cause negligence. When a woman possesses these five qualities she is reborn in a state of misery … in hell.”
SN 37.15 Akkodhana Sutta: Without Anger
Then the Venerable Anuruddha approached the Blessed One…and said to him: “Here, venerable sir, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, I see women, with the breakup of the body, after death, being reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world. When a woman possesses how many qualities, venerable sir, is she reborn thus?”
“When, Anuruddha, a woman possesses five qualities, with the breakup of the body, after death, she is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world. What are the five? She has faith, she has a sense of shame, she is afraid of wrongdoing, she is without anger, she is wise. When a woman possesses these five qualities she is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.”
SN 37.16-23 Anupanāhī Sutta: Without Malice, Etc.
“When, Anuruddha, a woman possesses five qualities, with the breakup of the body, after death, she is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world. What are the five? She has faith, she has a sense of shame, she is afraid of wrongdoing, she is without malice, without envy … not stingy … not of loose conduct … virtuous … learned … energetic … mindful, wise. When a woman possesses these five qualities she is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.”
SN 37.24 Pañcasīla Sutta: The Five Precepts
“When, Anuruddha, a woman possesses five qualities, with the breakup of the body, after death, she is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world. What are the five? “
“She abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from wine, liquor, and intoxicants that cause negligence. When a woman possesses these five qualities, with the breakup of the body, after death, she is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.”
SN 37.25 Visārada Sutta: Confident
“Bhikkhus, there are five powers of a woman. What are the five? The power of beauty, the power of wealth, the power of relatives, the power of sons, the power of virtue. These are the five powers of a woman. When a woman possesses these five powers, she dwells confident at home.”
SN 37.26 Pasayha Sutta: Having Won Over
“Bhikkhus, there are five powers of a woman. What are the five? The power of beauty, the power of wealth, the power of relatives, the power of sons, the power of virtue. These are the five powers of a woman. When a woman possesses these five powers, she dwells at home having won over her husband”
SN 37.27 Abhibhuyya Sutta: Under Her Control
“Bhikkhus, there are five powers of a woman. What are the five? The power of beauty, the power of wealth, the power of relatives, the power of sons, the power of virtue. These are the five powers of a woman. When a woman possesses these five powers, she abides with her husband under her control.”
SN 37.28 Eka Sutta: One
“Bhikkhus, when a man possesses one power, he abides with a woman under his control. What is that one power? The power of authority. When a woman has been overcome by the power of authority, neither the power of beauty can rescue her, nor the power of wealth, nor the power of relatives, nor the power of sons, nor the power of virtue.”
SN 37.29 Aṅga Sutta: In That Respect
“Bhikkhus, there are these five powers of a woman. What are the five? The power of beauty, the power of wealth, the power of relatives, the power of sons, the power of virtue. “
“If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the power of beauty but not the power of wealth, then she is deficient in that respect. But if she possesses the power of beauty and the power of wealth too, then she is complete in that respect.”
“If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the powers of beauty and wealth, but not the power of relatives, then she is deficient in that respect. But if she possesses the powers of beauty and wealth, and the power of relatives too, then she is complete in that respect. “
“If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the powers of beauty, wealth, and relatives, but not the power of sons, then she is deficient in that respect. But if she possesses’ the powers of beauty, wealth, and relatives, and the power of sons too, then she is complete in that respect. “
“If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the powers of beauty, wealth, relatives, and sons, but not the power of virtue, then she is deficient in that respect. But if she possesses the powers of beauty, wealth, relatives, and sons, and the power of virtue too, then she is complete in that respect. These are the five powers of a woman.”
SN 37.30 Nāsenti Sutta: They Expel
“Bhikkhus, there are these five powers of a woman … … the power of virtue. If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the power of beauty but not the power of virtue, they expel her; they do not accommodate her in the family.”
“If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the powers of beauty and wealth, but not the power of virtue, they expel her; they do not accommodate her in the family. If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the powers of beauty, wealth, and relatives, but not the power of virtue, they expel her; they do not accommodate her in the family. “
“If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the powers of beauty, wealth, relatives, and sons, but not the power of virtue, they expel her; they do not accommodate her in the family. If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the power of virtue but not the power of beauty, they accommodate her in the family; they do not expel her.”
“If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the power of virtue but not the power of wealth, they accommodate her in the family; they do not expel her. If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the power of virtue but not the power of relatives, they accommodate her in the family; they do not expel her. If, bhikkhus, a woman possesses the power of virtue but not the power of sons, they accommodate her in the family; they do not expel her. These are the five powers of a woman.”
SN 37.31 Hetu Sutta: The Cause
“Bhikkhus, there are these five powers of a woman … the power of virtue. Bhikkhus, it is not because of the power of beauty, or the power of wealth, or the power of relatives, or the power of sons, that with the breakup of the body, after death, a woman is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world. It is because of the power of virtue that a woman is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world. These are the five powers of a woman.”
SN 37.32 Ṭhāna Sutta: Situations
“Bhikkhus, there are five situations that are difficult to obtain for a woman who has not done merit. What are the five? “
“She may wish: ‘May I be born into a suitable family!’ This is the first situation that is difficult to obtain for a woman who has not done merit. She may wish: ‘Having been born into a suitable family, may I marry into a suitable family!’ This is the second situation . . .. She may wish: ‘Having been born into a suitable family and having married into a suitable family, may I dwell at home without a rival!’ This is the third situation … “
“She may wish: ‘Having been born into a suitable family … dwelling at home without a rival, may I bear sons!’ This is the fourth situation … . She may wish: ‘Having been born into a suitable family .. , having borne sons, may I abide with my husband under my control!’ This is the fifth situation … . “
These are the five situations that are difficult to obtain for a woman who has not done merit.
“Bhikkhus, there are five situations that are easy to obtain for a woman who has done merit. What are the five? She may wish: ‘May I be born into a suitable family!’ This is the first situation …. She may wish: ‘Having been born into a suitable family .. having borne sons, may I abide with my husband under my control!’ This is the fifth situation …
“These are the five situations that are easy to obtain for a woman who has done merit.”
SN 37.33 Pañcasīlavisārada Sutta: Confident
“Bhikkhus, when a woman possesses five qualities she dwells confident at home. What are the five? She abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from wine, liquor, and intoxicants that cause negligence. When a woman possesses these five qualities she dwells confident at home.”
SN 37.34 Vaḍḍhī Sutta: Growth
“Bhikkhus, growing in five areas of growth, a female noble disciple grows in noble qualities, and she acquires the essence, acquires the best, of this bodily existence. What are the five? She grows in faith, in virtue, in learning, in generosity, and in wisdom. Growing in these five areas of growth, a female noble disciple grows in noble qualities, and she acquires the essence, acquires the best, of this bodily existence. “
“When she grows here in faith and virtue, in wisdom, generosity, and learning,
The virtuous female noble disciple acquires the real essence of this body, acquires what is best.”
Saṁyutta Nikāya | Sōmā Sutta
With Somā
At Sāvatthī.
Then the nun Somā robed up in the morning and, taking her bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. She wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on her return from almsround, she went to the Dark Forest, plunged deep into it, and sat at the root of a tree for the day’s meditation.
Then Māra the Wicked, wanting to make the nun Somā feel fear, terror, and goosebumps, wanting to make her fall away from immersion, went up to her and addressed her in verse:
“That state’s very challenging; it’s for the sages to attain. It’s not possible for a woman, with her two-fingered wisdom.”
Then the nun Somā thought, “Who’s speaking this verse, a human or a non-human?”
Then she thought, “This is Māra the Wicked, wanting to make me feel fear, terror, and goosebumps, wanting to make me fall away from immersion!”
Then Somā, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, replied to him in verse:
“What difference does womanhood make when the mind is serene, and knowledge is present as you rightly discern the Dhamma.
Surely someone who might think: ‘I am woman’, or ‘I am man’, or ‘I am’ anything at all, is fit for Māra to address.”
Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The nun Somā knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.
