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MAY, 1028 )
BUDDHIST WOMEN
3. Golden boats were placed in the middle of the pandal, and each Khattiya daughter threw scents standing in the midst of the two bhikkhus.
4. Each Khattiya princess fanned standing in the midst of two bhikkhus. 5. Golden boats were filled with scents and perfumes. (D.C., III., pp. 184 f.)
The daughter of queen Mallika was also named Mallika. She was the wife of General Bandhula. She was childless for a long time. Bandhula sent her to her father's house. On the way she went to the Jetavana to salute the Buddha who was informed by her that her husband was sending her home as she was childless. The Buddha asked her to go to her husband's house. Bandhula was informed of this fact and thought that the Buddha must have got the idea that she would be pregnant. The sign of pregnancy was visible in her, and she desired to drink water and bathe in the well-guarded tank of the Licchavis. Bandhula with his wife visited the tank and he made his wife bathe and drink water therefrom. (D.C., ), pp. 319-351.) Mallika, wife of Bandhula, and daughter of a Malla king of Kuśinara, offered worship to the relic of the Buddha with plenty of perfume and garlands and also an orna. ment named mahdlata which was very valuable. In consequence of this, she, after death, was reborn in the Tâvatimsa heaven where she was bedecked all in yellow. (Vimanavalthu Commy., 165.)
Vajird was a bhilekuni who was tempted by Mara when she went to Andhavana to ineditate. Mâra came to her and asked her, “Who has created the being? Wherefrom it has come, and where will it go ?” She said. "The aggregation of five khandhas constitutes the sattas." Mara then left her. (Samyutta Nikdy. I, pp. 134-135.)
Cira bhikkhuni was given a robe by an u pásika of the Buddha. This message was declared by a Yakkha in the streets of Rajagaha saying that the giver by giving a robe to Cirâ who was free from fetters, could acquire much merit. (Samyulta Nikaya, I, p. 213.)
Uttara and her husband were serving a banker at Rajagaha. Once the banker went to attend a famous ceremony, and Uttara with her husband was at home. The husband of Uttarâ went to cultivate in the morning. Uttarà was going with cooked food to her husband in the field. On the way she met Sariputta, who was just rising up from mirodha. samapatti (meditation on cessation) and offered the food to him, with the result that she became the richest lady of Rajagaha, and her husband became a banker named Mahadhanasetthi. (D.C., III, pp. 302 f.)
Punnd was the maid-servant of a banker of Navatthî. Once she was asked to husk a large quantity of paddy. While ongaged in husking the paddy at night, she went outside the house to take rest. At this time Dabba, a Mallian, was in charge of making arrangements for the sleeping accomunodation of the bhikkhus who were guests. Panna with some cakes went out to enquire of the cause of their movements with lights at night. The Buddha went out for alms by the way in which Puņņâ was. She offered all the cakes to the Buddha without keeping any for herself. The Buddha accepted them. Punna was thinking whether Buddha would partake of her food. The Buddha did partake of it in her house. The effect of this offer was that Punnâ obtained sota pattiphalań where the offer was made. (D.C., III, pp. 321 f.)
Rohini was Anuruddha's sister. She was suffering from white leprosy. She did not go to her brother as she was suffering. Anuruddha sent for her and asked her to build a resthouse for bhikkhus to get rid of her sin. She kept the rest-house clean even when it was under construction, and she did this with great devotion for a long time. She became free from her disease. Shortly afterwards the Buddha went to Kapilavatthu and sent for Rohini. The Buddha told her that she was the queen of the king of Benares in her former bilth. The king was enamoured of the beauty of a dancing girl. The queen knowing this, became jealous of her, and to punish her she put something in her cloth and bathing water which produced terrible itching all over her body. On account of this sin, she got this disease. She obtained sold pattiphalam and the colour of her body became golden. (D.C., III, pp. 295 f.)
