Female Chief Disciple: Uppalavanna

(buddhachannel.tv)


The Nun Uppalavanna
Radhika Abeysekera (BuddhaSasana)

Uppalavanna was the extraordinarily beautiful daughter of a rich merchant. Her skin was the blue-black color and texture of the calyx of the blue lotus. Because of the unusually beautiful color of her complexion, her parents named her Uppalavanna or "one with the hue of the blue lotus." When she came of age her parents had her married to a young merchant from a wealthy family. As was the custom at the time, she moved to her husband’s home in Savatthi.

Uppalavanna lived happily with her in-laws until her husband had to travel to Rajagaha for business. Neither Uppalavanna nor her husband were aware that she was pregnant when he left. When her pregnancy became noticeable, her mother-in-law accused her of misconduct. Despite her pleas of innocence, Uppalavanna was cast out of her home by her mother-in-law who now despised her. Uppalavanna, who had not done any wrong, decided that she would go to Rajagaha in search of her husband.

The journey was long and difficult. Accepting the hospitality of strangers who felt compassion for the beautiful woman who was heavy with child, she walked slowly from city to city until her labor pains started. Resting in a hut on the wayside, she gave birth to a son. Tired and weak, Uppalavanna wrapped the newborn in her robe and rested. Then, leaving the baby in the hut, she walked to the river nearby to wash.

A stranger who was passing by heard the faint cry of a baby. Seeing the little boy with no parents in sight, he decided to adopt the child. When Uppalavanna came back to the hut, she was devastated. Weeping in sorrow she ran about looking for her child, but she was unable to find her son.

Uppalavanna felt terrible. She knew she could no longer go to her husband. He would surely kill her if he found out that she had lost his son. A firstborn son would become head of the family and carry on the lineage. In India, a male-dominated society, this child was precious and his birth a celebrated event. Uppalavanna knew that she had no hope of being forgiven for her carelessness. With nowhere else to turn, she decided to go home to her parents. She was walking through a thick jungle when a robber hiding in the jungle caught sight of her. Attracted by her unusual beauty, he decided to take her as his wife. The desperate Uppalavanna agreed.

Before long she conceived again and gave birth to a baby girl. Her life, however, was not a happy, comfortable one. Her husband was often violently angry with her. He continually reminded her of her past and his gracious hospitality towards her in taking her as his wife. After one such long and furious argument, he stormed off in anger. Uppalavanna, who was furious with her husband, jumped up inadvertently tossing her baby daughter from her lap and onto the bed. The girl flew off the bed onto the floor cutting her head. Blood gushed from the wound as the baby lay unconscious. Uppalavanna was sure she had accidentally killed her daughter. She knew that her husband would never believe her that it was an accident. She feared for her life for she knew the wrath of her robber husband. So she decided to run away again.

Earning her keep by performing menial jobs, the beautiful Uppalavanna scraped together a living. Her former wealth and beauty were of no use to her. She was a fallen woman, ashamed to go back to her parents and afraid to go back to her husband. So she lived many years in great poverty. One day as she was gathering firewood, a handsome youth saw her. Attracted by the older woman’s beauty, he decided to take her as his wife. Tired of her insecure life, she agreed.

Uppalavanna and her husband lived together in harmony for some time. Then one day he had to leave home on business. When he returned he brought home a second wife – a very beautiful woman who was in the flush of youth. Uppalavanna accepted the younger woman reluctantly. (Men often had their way, and having more than one wife was a common). The two women formed a shaky friendship. Uppalavanna was grooming the second wife’s hair one day when she noticed a large, jagged scar on her head. The young woman informed her that she was the daughter of a robber who had injured her head when her mother had fought with her father and accidentally dropped her.

Like an actress, Uppalavanna's beauty shone through in spite of her shaved head.

Uppalavanna was horrified. This was her daughter whom she had left for dead years before! The thought that she and her daughter had shared a man sickened her. Unable to bear the shame of her degrading life she went to the Buddha for solace and comfort. Uppalavanna then decided to join the Order of Nuns.

Soon thereafter it was her turn to unlock and clean the assembly hall. After she had lighted the lamp and swept the hall, the flame of the lamp attracted her. Concentrating on the element of fire, she went into deep meditation and attained enlightenment together with the Analytical Knowledges.

Because of her comprehensive supernormal powers, the Buddha declared Uppalavanna the "female foremost in supernormal powers." She became his second chief female disciple. Together with Khema she helped the Buddha with the teaching and administration of the growing congregation of nuns. Uppalavanna, who had suffered greatly in her youth because of society’s treatment of women, helped other young women attain freedom from suffering. Her experience of the unique suffering faced by women made it easy for her to empathize with others in similar situations.

To understand Uppalavanna’s quick attainment of enlightenment, we need to go back many aeons to the time of Padumuttara Buddha. At the time of Padumuttara Buddha, Uppalavanna was born to a wealthy family in the City of Hannsavati. She had seen the Buddha Padumuttara appoint another nun "foremost in supernormal powers" and second female chief disciple. Inspired by that nun, Uppalavanna had provided meals and requisites to Padumuttara Buddha and his retinue for seven days. She had then made the aspiration to become the chief disciple of a buddha. Padumuttara Buddha, seeing that Uppalavanna would fulfill her aspiration, gave her a sure prediction that under the Buddha Gautama she would become second chief female disciple and foremost in supernormal powers. From this time onward Uppalavanna had performed meritorious deeds earnestly and worked towards her aspiration.

The canon documents some of Uppalavanna’s past births. At the time of Kassapa Buddha, who preceded Gautama Buddha, Uppalavanna was born to the royal family of Benares (Varanasi) as the daughter of King Kiki. She had been a devoted follower of Kassapa Buddha and had performed many meritorious deeds, including the building of a beautiful monastery for him and his disciples. When she died she was reborn in a divine realm and enjoyed heavenly bliss for an extremely long time.

Her next birth was as a poor woman. Between the time of Kassapa Buddha and Gautama Buddha, there had appeared on earth many non-teaching (pacceka) buddhas. A pacceka buddha who had been in deep meditation for seven days on Gandhamadana Mountain had descended from the mountain in search of alms. At that time Uppalavanna had just picked some blue lotus flowers and rice, which she had then made into popped rice.

On seeing that pacceka buddha, she offered him the popped rice and the beautiful blue lotus flowers. Then, full of joy, she had aspired to become as beautiful as a blue lotus. Accepting the meal and the flowers, the pacceka buddha had returned to the mountaintop, using supernormal powers. When she died Uppalavanna was reborn in a heavenly realm and enjoyed heavenly bliss for a very long time.

She then passed away from there and was born again in the human realm. The canon documents that a hermit who lived in the forest near a lake where blue lotus flowers grew had found the beautiful baby by the side of the lake, beside the flowers. The baby, who was very beautiful with skin the color of a blue lotus, was named Uppalavanna by the hermit. He then decided to adopt the helpless infant. Uppalavanna grew up to be exceedingly beautiful and resembled a celestial nymph (sky-deva). She led a sheltered life alone in the forest with the hermit.

One day, a traveler who was passing through the forest saw the unusually beautiful girl and inquired as to her origin from the hermit. When the hermit explained that she was an orphan and that he had brought her up as his own child, he went back and informed the king of the exceptionally beautiful maiden who lived in the forest. The king decided to make her his consort. Together with his courtiers, he visited the hermit and asked Uppalavanna to be his queen. She agreed. Leaving the forest, she moved into the palace and soon became his favorite.

In her next birth Uppalavanna was reborn in Rajagaha as the wife of a farmer. At this time eight pacceka buddhas had appeared in the world, and Uppalavanna had the good fortune to offer them alms. She had prepared a meal of fragrant rice and was taking it to her husband who was tilling the land when she saw the eight seeking alms. She had immediately given them the meal prepared for her husband and invited them to her home for a meal on the following day. She had then prepared fragrant food and picked eight bunches of blue lotus flowers, which she had offered them after the meal. For a second time, she aspired to be as beautiful as a blue lotus.

Her next documented birth was in Savatthi at the time of Gautama Buddha. The aspiration to be a chief disciple made at the time of Padumuttara Buddha was to bear fruit. Her degrading life -- sharing her husband with her daughter -- was too much to bear. It weighed heavily on her mind. She decided to join the Order of Buddhist Nuns under the Buddha.

Even though the canon documents two instances of Uppalavanna’s aspiration to be as beautiful as a blue lotus, it is most likely that she also renewed her original aspiration to be foremost in supernatural powers and the second chief disciple, because fulfilment of such an aspiration requires great effort and many meritorious deeds. It is likely that her unusual color and exotic beauty attracted more attention, which resulted in the preservation of this section of the text. The fact that Uppalavanna immediately agreed to be a nun under the Buddha Gautama, and the fact that she attained enlightenment shortly thereafter, indicates that there must have been many other instances when she had developed wisdom and spiritual insight and renewed her aspiration after performing meritorious deeds.

At that time it was common for nuns and monks to retreat to the woods to meditate. Uppalavanna returned from her almsround and entered her hut in the Dark Forest. An admirer named Ananda, who was infatuated with her, had entered her hut and hidden under her bed. Shortly after she had laid down to rest, he caught her by surprise, climbed on top of her, and overpowered her. Despite her pleas and protests, he sexually abused her. He then left, sneaking out just as he had slipped in.

The unskilful act of abusing an enlightened being, however, was too powerful. Tormented by his heavy karma, Ananda died burning in the fires of his desire and was reborn in the Avici Hell.

Uppalavanna composed herself and informed the nuns of her ordeal. The nuns in turn informed the Blessed One. The Buddha’s worst fears for his Order of Nuns had come to pass. Uppalavanna, his chief disciple, had been overpowered, abused, and treated with disrespect. Approaching King Pasenadi of Kosala, the Buddha requested that he build a residence for the nuns within the confines of the City. He then made it a monastic rule that nuns should not reside or go alone to meditate in the forest. From that time on, nuns resided only in the city.

Sometime later the monks assembled in the Dharma hall to discuss this incident. There arose a debate as to the needs of Arhats to gratify their passions. The Buddha then cleared up their doubts by informing them that the desire between a man and woman is quenched in those who have attained enlightenment and described an Arhat (brahmin) thus:

"One, who like water on a lotus leaf
Or mustard seed on a needle point,
Clings not to pleasures sensual –
That one I call a brahmin [Arhat]."

Uppalavanna recounts her suffering, psychic powers, and final attainment of liberation in the Verses of the Female Saints (Therigatha) as follows:

"Both of us, mother and daughter
Were co-wives
Of me there was religious excitement
Amazing hair raising.
Woe upon sensual pleasures
Impure, evil-smelling, with many troubles
Wherein we,
Mother and daughter were co-wives.
Having seen the peril in sensual pleasures
And (seeing) renunciation as firm security,
I went forth in Rajagaha from the home
To the homeless state.
I know that I have lived before
The divine-eye has been purified
And there is knowledge of the state of mind
The ear-element has been purified
Supernormal powers too have been realized by me
I have attained the anihilation of craving
(These) six supernormal powers have been realized by me
The Buddha’s teaching has been done.
Having fashioned a four-horse chariot by supernormal powers
Having paid homage to the Buddha’s feet
The glorious protector of the world
I stood on one side."
-- (Therigatha 224-229)

Uppalavanna was often desired by admirers because of her extraordinary beauty. The fact that she was a member of the Sangha (the Buddha’s Monastic Order) did not deter them. She rebukes Mara, the Tempter, over this in the following verses.

"You who are so beautiful
Seated beneath a Sal tree with blossoms crowned
Aware of your own loneliness
Do you not tremble when seducers come along?"
"Though men like you, seducers
A hundred-thousand strong should approach
Not a single hair of mine will rise
Nor will I quake with fear
And so, Tempter, coming alone
Of what effect are you?
I who possess supernormal powers
Can make my form disappear
Between your eyebrows or your belly
I could lodge and stay
How then, Mara, can you see me?
My mind I have so disciplined that
Clairvoyance I have cultivated
The fourfold path I have realized
I know the Buddha’s words and ardently I follow.
Lusts as deadly weapons, rend and tear apart
These our bodies, heirs of senses
Desires of which you speak
Lack all attraction for me.
I have conquered all desire
And rent apart
The murky gloom of ignorance
Know, Tempter, I have triumphed over you."
-- (Therigatha 230-235)

The exotically beautiful and bluish Uppalavanna, who could relate to the suffering women faced, was a great asset to the Buddha. Using her supernormal powers and her gentle and pleasing nature, she helped many thousands of women in their emancipation. Drawn by her beauty, compassion, and gentle manner, many emulated the great female Arhat and also attained enlightenment.

(mandalas.com)