I am interested in understanding the Pali grammar for the word bee in the following verse of the Dhammapada:
"As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower, or its colour or scent, so let a sage dwell in his village" (Dhammapada, Chapter IV, verse 49).
I've searched the internet for online versions of Dhammapada in original Pali and come across differening transliterations used for bee:
'Bhamara' / 'Madhukara' / 'Bhamaro'
Does anyone know which Pali word is contained in the original Pali text?
In particular, I'd like to understand the gender of the bee, is it male or female? The words Bhamara and Madhukara, for example, both seem to be masculine:
Does this verse indicate that the bee is a male bee? What would the equivalent Pali be for a female bee? If there is no female equivalent, then is the word gender neutral (I don't think it is because of the dictionary above, but I can't say for sure)?
Thanks for your help.