Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c9.1304

v1.c9.1304

The books give several episodes connected with Uppalavaṇṇā. Once a young man named Ānanda, who was her cousin and had been in love with her during her lay-life, hid himself in her hut in Andhavana and, in spite of her protestations, deprived her of her chastity. It is said that he was swallowed up by the fires of Avīci. From that time onwards, nuns were forbidden to live in Andhavana.⁵ It is said⁶ that this incident gave rise to the question whether even arahants enjoyed the pleasures of love and wished to gratify their passions. Why should they not? For they are not trees nor ant-hills, but living creatures with moist flesh. The Buddha most emphatically declared that thoughts of lust never entered the hearts of the saints. On another occasion, Uppalavaṇṇā came across, in Andhavana, some meat left behind, obviously for her, by some kind-hearted thief; having cooked the meat, she took it to the Buddha at Veḷuvana. Finding him away on his alms-rounds, she left the meat with Udāyī, who was looking after the vihāra, to be given to the Buddha, but Udāyī insisted on Uppalavaṇṇā giving him her inner robe as a reward for his services.⁷