Answering Venerable Anuruddha, the Buddha teaches five qualities of ladies—unwholesome qualities—that lead to rebirth in a place of loss after death.

SN 37.5 Irritable

Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā anuruddho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“idhāhaṁ, bhante, mātugāmaṁ passāmi dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjantaṁ. Katīhi nu kho, bhante, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatī”ti?

“Pañcahi kho, anuruddha, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati. Katamehi pañcahi?

Assaddho ca hoti, ahiriko ca hoti, anottappī ca hoti, kodhano ca hoti, duppañño ca hoti

imehi kho, anuruddha, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatī”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā anuruddho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Anuruddha went up to the Buddha, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“idhāhaṁ, bhante, mātugāmaṁ passāmi dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjantaṁ.

“Sometimes, sir, with my clairvoyance that’s purified and superhuman, I see that a lady—when her body breaks up, after death—is reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Katīhi nu kho, bhante, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatī”ti?

How many qualities do ladies have so that they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell?”

“Pañcahi kho, anuruddha, dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

“Anuruddha, when ladies have five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Assaddho ca hoti, ahiriko ca hoti, anottappī ca hoti, kodhano ca hoti, duppañño ca hoti

They’re faithless, shameless, imprudent, irritable, and witless.

imehi kho, anuruddha, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato mātugāmo kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjatī”ti.

When ladies possess these five qualities, when their body breaks up, after death, they are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Qualities:

Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction, self-assurance
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Last updated on July 27, 2026