Monday, March 21, 2011

Buddhist Wisdom Verses



Piotrek said...
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Piotrek said...

Thank you for mentioning that book. I really like the contents and way how it's organized.

In his preface venerable Ānandajoti says that he removed two verses which he finds “offensive to our modern sensibilities”. They are both from “infamous” Kuṇāla-jātaka. I wonder if you could write something more about it?

Shravasti Dhammika said...

Dear Piotrek,
Ven. Anandajoti was referring to two verses from the Kunala Jataka that are particularly misogynistic. Myself I can’t say I find them particularly offensive – but then I’m not a woman. I have heard similar things said when groups of men are talking together and they are of the type found in many sacred scriptures and in pre-modern literature written by the monks and priests of most religious traditions. And in places in the Middle East they would be considered commonplace and pass without remark. While a good deal of the Jatakas contain ideas and values quite ahead of their time, other parts reflect the society in which they were composed. Some Jatakas portray woman as faithful, loyal, perspicacious and virtuous while a few others, the Kunala Jataka being the best (or worst) example, brand them as over-sexed, untrustworthy and treacherous.

Piotrek said...

Thank you, bhante.