In the Dhammapada (Dichotomies 3 & 4) There are these two verses:
“He abused me, attacked me, Defeated me, robbed me!” For those carrying on like this, Hatred does not end.
“She abused me, attacked me, Defeated me, robbed me!” For those not carrying on like this, Hatred ends.
Can you explain these verses and pay particular attention to why one verse uses “He” and the other uses “She”. Is there any significance with that?
The verses you reference are from the Dhammapada, a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form. This text is one of the most widely read and best-known of the Buddhist scriptures.
The core message of these verses is about the perpetuation of hatred. If one dwells on past wrongs, maintaining an attitude of victimhood and resentment (“He abused me, attacked me, Defeated me, robbed me!”), hatred continues. Conversely, if one does not dwell on such past wrongs and lets go of the narrative of victimhood and resentment (“She abused me, attacked me, Defeated me, robbed me!”), then hatred ceases.
Regarding the use of “He” in the first verse and “She” in the second, many scholars believe that the Buddha or the compilers of the Dhammapada did not intend to assign any gender-specific roles or attributes. Instead, the variation might be a poetic device to emphasize universality — that the teaching applies to all individuals, regardless of gender. It indicates that anyone, irrespective of gender, can either perpetuate hatred or let it end, based on their attitude and response to wrongs committed against them.
The choice might also be a method of ensuring inclusivity in the teachings, emphasizing that both men and women have the capability for both negative and positive reactions to harm.
In summary, the essence of the verses is about the inner response to external wrongs, and the choice of gender pronouns is more likely a poetic or inclusive device rather than an indication of any gender-based distinction in behavior or roles.
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