Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c6.s5.t6: Kuṇḍalakeśī: The Lady Debater

c6.s5.t6.1

There is no doubt that Buddha and his followers initiated debates that have sustained the intellectual discourses for more than a millennium in India. Bhadrā, as described in *Therīgāthā*, first accepted the Nirgrantha order. She was called Kuṇḍalakeśī when her curly locks grew up again. She learned the texts from the Nirgrantha monks and became adept in debating. She had debates with the great scholars and preachers of her times. She would visit villages and cities and at the gate or entrance of the city or village she would place a rose apple tree on the heap of sand with the declaration that who so ever tramples this bough of the rose apple tree will have to enter into a debate with her; she would wait for a challenger for one week and depart to other place to resume her victorious journey. When she reached Śrāvastī, Sāriputra had a debate with her. First Kuṇḍalakeśī chose to ask him the questions. When the stock of her questions was exhausted and Śāriputra had answered them all, it was the latter’s turn to confront her with questions. He asked only one question to her — What is that which is one? And she fell silent.