Gender Faculty

The matter which differentiates living beings into males and females is called “Bhāva
Rūpa”. Bhāva Rupā is two folds: Itthibhāva (femininity) and Pumbhāva (masculinity). The
faculty which controls the manifestation of masculinity and femininity is called Bāvindriya
(gender faculty) . At the moment of Paṭisandi Citta (rebirth consciousness), Bāvindriya arises
together with Hadaya and other seven Indriya rūpa. They are wholly produced by Kamma. So,
Kamma determines the gender and basic traits of the human being in conformity with the deeds
done in the past. Masculinity is supported by the past weighty moral kamma, however,
femininity is supported by the weak kamma.
According to Abhidhamma teachings, bhava rupa cannot be seen because the particles
of those matters are dispersed all over the body. Even though people differentiate between
males and females according to the structure of the body, the way of acting or manners, the
symptoms or their responses, those particles that are basic for being a male or a female.
Nowadays, in this technical science, some people try to diverse from men to women or
from women to men by a medical treatment. It can be known as transgender. However, when
we see it in the Abhidhamma point of view, this test cannot be completely succeeded because
bhāva rūpa spreads the whole body both internally and externally included the brain. But there
is one condition that it would be possible by the supported kamma by the past or present in the
condition of transgender. In the Buddha’s life time, there is a story of Soreyya, the son of a
rich man, whose gender changed two times in one life by the present kamma. Firstly, his male
gender changed into female because of his wrongful though toward the Noble person, Ashin
Mahākaccāyana. When he admitted his bad mental action and then apologized to him, he got
back his man life.
Moreover, according to Vinaya Piṭaka, one who is a hermaphrodite cannot ordain
because there is a condition that one’s gender changes or diverse occasionally. This situation
occurs to whom pertains merit or demerit action done by the past. Here, there are two types of
hermaphrodite: one whose masculinity gender changes into femininity when lustful desire
arises in his mind to the same gender is called male hermaphrodite. Similarly, one whose
femininity gender changes into masculinity is called female hermaphrodite.
In conclusion, although gender faculty can dominate masculinity or femininity, it is
managed by the past or present kamma again. The unwholesome or wholesome asynchronous
kammas bear their results life after death or whenever they have the opportunity. That is why,
gender faculty is associated with the volitional action. So, the Buddha said, “as one sows the
seed, so shall one reap the fruits.”
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