13 Facts About Uppalavanna

Uppalavanna was a Buddhist bhikkhuni, or nun, who was considered one of the top female disciples of the Buddha.

Uppalavanna's is considered the second of the Buddha's two chief female disciples, along with Khema.

Uppalavanna's was given the name Uppalavanna, meaning "color of a blue water lily", at birth due to the bluish color of her skin.

Uppalavanna attained enlightenment while using a fire kasina as her object of meditation less than two weeks after her ordination.

Uppalavanna is mentioned in several early Buddhist texts of the Pali Canon, including the Samyutta Nikaya, Anguttara Nikaya, and the Therigatha and Apadana collections within the Khuddaka Nikaya as well as some early Mahayana texts such as the Perfection of Wisdom in Eighty-thousand Lines and Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom.

Related searches

Uppalavanna was given her name due to being born with a complexion that was the color of a blue water-lily, in accordance with a wish she was said to have made in a past life.

When Uppalavanna grew up she was known for her immense beauty, with several kings and wealthy suitors coming to her father to ask for her hand in marriage.

Uppalavanna later found out her husband was having an affair with her mother and leaves him and her newborn daughter.

Uppalavanna eventually marries another man who takes a second wife, who she later finds out was her daughter that she left behind.

Buddhist texts relate that Uppalavanna attained enlightenment less than two weeks after ordaining as a bhikkhuni.

Uppalavanna's most significant display of psychic powers was a miracle she displayed where she transformed into a cakkavatti, or universal monarch, and created a large retinue to pay respect to the Buddha.

Uppalavanna performed the miracle four months later at Sankassa when the Buddha returned to earth after spending his rains-retreat in Tavatimsa Heaven.

Once, when Uppalavanna was meditating in the wilderness alone, Mara attempted to break her concentration.