Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c18.62

v1.c18.62

**Janapadakalyāṇī Nandā.**—One of the three Nandās who became bhikkhunīs—the others being Nandā, sister of Nandatthera and Abhirūpa-Nandā. Because of her very great beauty she earned the sobriquet of Janapadakalyāṇī.¹ Janapadakalyāṇī was engaged to be married to Nanda, but on the day fixed for the marriage the Buddha induced Nanda to join the Order, in spite of Nanda’s wishes, and in due course he became an arahant. Later, when women were admitted to the Order, Janapadakalyāṇī, feeling she had nothing to look forward to, became a bhikkhunī under Pajāpatī. For a long time she would not visit the Buddha, having heard that he spoke disparagingly of physical beauty, but one day, inspired by curiosity, she accompanied her colleagues to hear the Buddha preach. He, being aware of her thoughts, created the form of a most beautiful maiden who stood fanning him. As Janapadakalyāṇī sat gazing at her, enraptured by her beauty, she saw her gradually reach extreme old age, passing through all the stages, until at last she saw her die, leaving her body to decompose and become a mass of filth. At the critical moment, the Buddha uttered the appropriate words and Janapadakalyāṇī became a Sotāpanna. The Buddha then preached the Kāyavicchandanika Sutta and she became an arahant.²