17.1 The Story about the Noble Maiden Rohinī
Rohinīkhattiyakaññāvatthu

“One should abandon all anger,” [30.95] {3.295} this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Banyan Grove with reference to the noble maiden Rohiṇī.

1a The Maiden with Blotches on Her Face

It seems that once upon a time venerable Anuruddha went with his retinue of five hundred bhikkhus to Kapilavatthu. When the elder’s kinsfolk heard that he had arrived, all except the elder’s sister, a maiden named Rohiṇī, went to the monastery where the elder was in residence and paid their respects to him. The elder asked his kinsfolk: “Where is Rohiṇī?” – “At home, venerable Sir.” – “Why did she not come here?” – “Venerable Sir, she is suffering from an eruption of the skin, and on this account was ashamed to come.” The elder caused her to be summoned, saying: “Summon her immediately.” Rohiṇī fastened a covering of cloth about her face and went to the elder.

When she came into his presence, the elder asked her: “Rohiṇī, why did you not come here before?” – “Venerable Sir, I am suffering from an eruption of the skin, and on this account I was ashamed to come.” – “But ought you not to perform works of merit?” – “What can I do, venerable Sir?” – “Cause an assembly hall to be erected.” {3.296} – “What funds have I to use for this purpose?” – “Have you not a set of jewels?” – “Yes, venerable Sir, I have.” – “How much did it cost?” – “It must have cost ten thousand coins.” – “Well then, spend this in building an assembly hall.” – “Who will build it for me, venerable Sir?” The elder looked at her kinsfolk who stood near and said: “This shall be your duty.” – “But, venerable Sir, what will you do?” – “I shall stay right here; therefore bring her the building materials.” – “Very well, venerable Sir,” said they, and brought them.

The elder superintended the arrangements for the erection of the [30.96] assembly hall. He said to Rohiṇī: “Cause an assembly hall two stories in height to be erected and as soon as the planks are put in place above, you take your stand below, sweep constantly, prepare seats, and keep the water-vessels filled with water.” – “Very well, venerable Sir,” replied Rohiṇī. So she spent her set of jewels in the erection of an assembly hall two stories in height. As soon as the planks were put in place above, she took her stand below, swept, and performed the other duties, and bhikkhus sat therein constantly. Even as she swept the assembly hall, the eruption subsided.

When the assembly hall was completed, she invited the Saṅgha of bhikkhus presided over by the Buddha; and when the Saṅgha of bhikkhus presided over by the Buddha had taken their seats, filling the assembly hall, she offered them choice food, both hard and soft.

When the Teacher finished his meal, he asked: “Whose is this offering?” – “Your sister Rohiṇī’s, venerable Sir.” – “But where is she?” – “In the house, venerable Sir.” – “Summon her.” She was unwilling to come. But in spite of her unwillingness, the Teacher caused her to be summoned all the same. When she had come {3.297} and saluted him and taken her seat, the Teacher said to her: “Rohiṇī, why did you not come before?” – “Venerable Sir, I was suffering from an eruption of the skin and was ashamed to come.” – “But do you know the reason why this eruption of the skin broke out on your body?” – “No, venerable Sir, I do not.” – “It was because of anger that this eruption of the skin broke out on your body.” – “Why, venerable Sir, what did I do?” – “Well then, listen,” said the Teacher. So saying, he told her the following

1b Story of the Past: The Jealous Queen and the Dancing Girl

In times long past, the chief consort of the king of Bārāṇasī took a dislike to one of the king’s dancing girls and said to herself: “I will make her suffer.” So she procured a number of large velvet beans, AJ: Mucuna pruriens. reduced them to powder, and summoning that dancing girl to her, contrived secretly to place the powdered velvet beans in her bed and cloak and her goats’ hair coverlet. Then, as if in fun, she sprinkled some of the powder on her body. Immediately the girl’s body became covered with pimples and boils so as to have a horridly angry look, and she went about scratching herself. When she lay down on her bed, there too the powdered velvet beans ate her up, and she suffered yet harsher pain. The chief consort at that time was Rohiṇī. [30.97]

When the Teacher had related this Story of the Past, he said: “Rohiṇī, that was the wicked deed which you committed at that time. Anger or jealousy, however slight, is always unbecoming.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

221. Kodhaṁ jahe, vippajaheyya mānaṁ,
saṁyojanaṁ sabbam-atikkameyya,
taṁ nāmarūpasmiṁ asajjamānaṁ,
akiñcanaṁ nānupatanti dukkhā.

One should abandon all anger,
one should abandon all conceit,
one should overcome every fetter,
without clinging to mind and form,
sufferings never do befall
the one having no possessions. {3.298}

At the end of the teaching many reached the fruitions of Stream-entry and so on. Rohiṇī also was established in the fruition of Stream-entry, and at that moment her body took on a golden hue.

1c Sequel: The Celestial Nymph

Rohiṇī passed from that state of existence and was reborn in the Realm of the Thirty-Three at the meeting-point of the boundaries of four Devaputtas. She was fair to look upon, and possessed of the perfection of beauty. When the four Devaputtas looked upon her, desire arose within them, and they began to quarrel over her, saying: “She was reborn within my boundary, she was reborn within my boundary.”

Finally they went to Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, and said to him: “Lord, a dispute has arisen among us; decide the dispute for us.” When Sakka looked at her, desire arose within him also. He said: “What manner of thoughts have arisen within you since you saw her?” The first Deva said: “As for me, the thoughts which have arisen within me have no more been able to subside than a battle-drum.” The second said: “My thoughts have run wild like a mountain torrent.” {3.299} The third said: “From the time I first saw her, my eyes have popped out like the eyes of a crab.” The fourth said: “My thoughts have no more been able to stand still than a banner raised on a shrine.”

Then Sakka said to them: “Friends, as for you, your thoughts are on fire. For my part, if I can have her, I can live, but if I cannot have her, I shall surely die.” The Devaputtas replied: “Great king, there is no need of your dying.” So saying, they yielded her to Sakka and went their way. She was Sakka’s darling and delight. If she ever said: “Let us go engage in such and such sport,” he could not refuse her.