Uppalavannā

Uppalavannā (Chinese: 蓮華 色 比丘尼 or 優 缽 華 色 比丘尼) was next to Khema one of the two female followers of Buddha . She was the daughter of a wealthy merchant and was known for her great beauty. The name means: "The one with the hue of the blue lotus". The Uppalavanna Sutta refers to Uppalavannā ( Samyutta Nikaya , v.5).

Family life

Uppalavannā was the daughter of a businessman from Shravasti . She was called Uppalavanna because her face resembled the blue lotus. Because of her beauty, powerful and wealthy men asked for her hand. But she didn't want to disappoint so many men, so she decided to become a bhikkhuni (nun). Uppalavannā made rapid progress in meditation and became an arhat (fully liberated). Buddha declared her the most advanced among the nuns in terms of supernatural powers ( Abhijna ).

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Etadaggavagga ("These are the Foremost Chapters," Anguttara Nikaya , 1.14) (Uppalavanna, nd) ( Memento of the original from September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , verse 237. 

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• Bhikkhu Bodhi ( transl .): Uppalavanna Sutta: Uppalavanna ( Samyutta Nikaya , 5.5). 1997, accessed October 19: Access to Insight at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.005.bodh.html .
• The Chief Disciple Uppalavanna Theri . Viewed at the Paw Dhamma Center . http://home.earthlink.net/~mpaw1235/id11.html .
• Sister Upalavanna (transl.): Etadaggavagga: These are the foremost (Anguttara Nikaya, 1:14). Accessed October 19 at MettaNet , http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara1/1-ekanipata/014-Etadaggapali-e.html .

Web links

• Bhikkhu Bodhi (ed., Transl.): Discourses of the Ancient Nuns (Bhikkhuni-samyutta) (Bodhi Leaves Publication No. 143). Buddhist Publication Society . Kandy, Sri Lanka 1997
• Life Histories of Bhikkhuni Arahats: The story of Uppalavanna Theri. nibbana.com