# Are there Jataka Tales where The Bodhisatta was female?

**URL:** <https://classicaltheravada.org/t/are-there-jataka-tales-where-the-bodhisatta-was-female/2359>\
**Category:** Textual Scholarship\
**Created:** [April 29, 2026, 8:58am UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/are-there-jataka-tales-where-the-bodhisatta-was-female/2359 "2026-04-29T08:58:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hara](https://classicaltheravada.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/7bcc69/32.png) [@Hara](https://classicaltheravada.org/u/Hara)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 8:58am UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/are-there-jataka-tales-where-the-bodhisatta-was-female/2359/1 "2026-04-29T08:58:31Z")

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I can’t find any.

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**Author:** ![gregk](https://classicaltheravada.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/958977/32.png) [@gregk](https://classicaltheravada.org/u/gregk)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 9:15am UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/are-there-jataka-tales-where-the-bodhisatta-was-female/2359/2 "2026-04-29T09:15:33Z")

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I was under the belief that the Bodhisatta from the time he was Sumedha and recieved prediction to become a future Buddha from Dipankara until he became Gotama Buddha was never reborn as a female.

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**Author:** ![bksubhuti](https://classicaltheravada.org/user_avatar/classicaltheravada.org/bksubhuti/32/19_2.png) [@bksubhuti](https://classicaltheravada.org/u/bksubhuti)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 11:28am UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/are-there-jataka-tales-where-the-bodhisatta-was-female/2359/3 "2026-04-29T11:28:17Z")

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> [@gregk](#):
>
> I was under the belief that the Bodhisatta from the time he was Sumedha and recieved prediction to become a future Buddha from Dipankara until he became Gotama Buddha was never reborn as a female.

Yes.. that is correct..  
This is another new subject but really should be added to the old one here:

> [@Why are women unable to become Buddhas?](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/why-are-women-unable-to-become-buddhas/2349):
>
> Someone asked me this and I wanted a more accurate response. Thanks.

My answer that answers this question is below:

> [@Why are women unable to become Buddhas?](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/why-are-women-unable-to-become-buddhas/2349/3):
>
> ## Prediction Requirements
> 
> I have heard that as soon as the prediction has been made, they will always be male.  
> Here is the quote from Buddhavamsa

> [@Why are women unable to become Buddhas?](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/why-are-women-unable-to-become-buddhas/2349/3):
>
> ## Buddhavaṃsapāḷi
> 
> > **manussattaṃ liṅgasampatti, hetu satthāradassanaṃ;**
> > 
> > Human existence, attainment of the right gender, a cause, seeing the Teacher,
> > 
> > **pabbajjā guṇasampatti, adhikāro ca chandatā;**
> > 
> > Going forth, attainment of virtues, a meritorious act, and resolution;
> > 
> > **aṭṭhadhammasamodhānā, abhinīhāro samijjhati.**
> > 
> > Through the convergence of these eight conditions, the aspiration succeeds.

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**Author:** ![Jayadharma](https://classicaltheravada.org/user_avatar/classicaltheravada.org/jayadharma/32/1911_2.png) [@Jayadharma](https://classicaltheravada.org/u/Jayadharma)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/are-there-jataka-tales-where-the-bodhisatta-was-female/2359/4 "2026-05-07T16:15:25Z")

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There is one jataka I know of where the bodhisatta is female transmitted in traditional Theravadin cultures.

However it is not in the 550 stories found in the khuddaka nikaya.

Instead it is transmitted in different story collections in Sri Lanka and SE Asia.

In Thailand it is found in extended biographies of the complete bodhisatta career of the Buddha such as the Sotatthakīmahānidāna.

This starts at a time long before the canonical jatakas, with the first thought of becoming enlightened when saving his mother from the ocean and includes other jataka including birth as a princess who offers oil lamps to a monk who will be Dipamkara in the future.