BURLINGAME. — BUDDHAGHOSA's DHAMMAPADA COMMENTARY. 537 



(There are no men who have not been women at some time or other ; 

 and no women who have not, at some time or other, been men. For 

 example, men who commit adultery endure punishment in hell for a 

 hundred thousand years, and on returning to human estate at the end 

 of that period, have to spend a hundred existences as women. Even 

 the Elder Ananda, who fulfilled the Perfections for a space of a hun- 

 dred thousand cycles of time, once committed adultery in an existence 

 as a blacksmith, and as a result was obliged to spend fourteen exis- 

 tences as a woman, and seven existences more before the effect of his 

 evil deed was completely exhausted. Women may obtain rebirth as 

 men by such works of merit as almsgiving, ready obedience to their 

 husbands, and so on.) (327) 



So Soreyya, who, as a treasurer of Soreyya, was already the father 

 of two sons, became, as the wife of a treasurer of Takkasila, the mother 

 of two more, making four children in all. Now just at this time, 

 Soreyya's carriage -companion paid a visit to Takkasila ; and Soreyya, 

 who happened to see him from the window, invited him to the house 

 and entertained him handsomely. " Madam," said the guest, " I never 

 saw you before ; why is it that you have been so kind to me ? do you 

 know me 1 " Soreyya then told him the whole story. " Oh," said the 

 guest, " it is easy enough to remedy all this ; the Elder Maha Kac- 

 cayana lives near by; just beg his pardon, and everything will be 

 all right again." Soreyya did so, and immediately became a man 

 again. Maha Kaccayana admitted him to the Order, and Soreyya, 

 after committing his two youngest sons to the care of the treasurer of 

 Takkasila, went back to Savatthi with Maha Kaccayana. (327-330) 



When the natives learned what had happened, they were much ex- 

 cited, and went to Soreyya and said, " This is a strange state of affairs ; 

 you are the mother of two sons, and the father of two more ; which 

 pair of children have you the stronger affection for ? " Soreyya replied, 

 " For the pair of which I am the mother." After a time Soreyya 

 attained Arahatship. The next time he was asked this question he 

 replied, " My affection is set nowhere." When Soreyya's latest reply 

 was reported to the Teacher, the latter remarked that Soreyya, having 

 now obtained mastery over his thoughts, was accomplishing for others 

 what neither father nor mother had power to accomplish. The Teacher 

 then pronounced Stanza 43, at the conclusion of which many were 

 established in the Fruits. (330-332) 



