Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c9.1298

v1.c9.1298

1. Uppalavaṇṇā Therī.—One of the two chief women disciples of the Buddha. She was born in Sāvatthi as the daughter of a banker, and she received the name of Uppalavaṇṇā because her skin was the colour of the heart of the blue lotus. When she was come of age, kings and commoners from the whole of India sent messengers to her father, asking for her hand. He, not wishing to offend any of them, suggested that Uppalavaṇṇā should leave the world. Because of her upanissaya, she very willingly agreed and was ordained a nun. Soon it came to her turn to perform certain services in the uposatha-hall. Lighting the lamp, she swept the room. Taking the flame of the lamp as her visible object, she developed *tejokasiṇa* and, attaining to *jhāna*, became an arahant possessed of the four special attainments (*paṭisambhidā*). She became particularly versed in the mystic potency of transformation (*iddhivikubbana*). When the Buddha arrived at the Gaṇḍamba-tree to perform the Twin Miracle, Uppalavaṇṇā offered to perform certain miracles herself, if the Buddha would give his consent, but this he refused.¹ Later, at Jetavana, in the assembly of the Saṅgha, he declared her to be the chief of the women possessed of *iddhi*-power.² The *Therīgāthā*³ contains several verses attributed to her.