Other Translations: Deutsch
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Jātaka Stories of Past Lives 13
Ekakanipāta The Book of the Ones
Sīlavagga Ethics
3. Kaṇḍijātaka The Arrow: a past life story
“Dhiratthu kaṇḍinaṁ sallaṁ, Curse the dart, the arrow A naive mountain buck falls for a doe wily in the ways of men. When the path grows dangerous, she lets him lead the way, so that he falls to the arrow.
purisaṁ gāḷhavedhinaṁ; that deeply strikes a man.
Dhiratthu taṁ janapadaṁ, Curse the nation
yatthitthī pariṇāyikā; where women rule. Reality has disproven this ancient prejudice, as women leaders are at least as successful as men in both perception and results. This is the first of many misogynistic Jātakas. These show how Jātaka stories were adapted from non-Buddhist sources, introducing bigotry into Buddhism.
Te cāpi dhikkitā sattā, Those creatures are cursed Dhikkhitā (“cursed”) is a word of unique occurrence in Pali, from the same root as the more common imprecation dhiratthu (“cursed be!”). Both are glossed with √garah.
ye itthīnaṁ vasaṅgatā”ti. who fall to women’s sway.
Kaṇḍijātakaṁ tatiyaṁ.