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Amrapallis Transformation

"He always walks centred in his own self"

Once it so happened in the days of Buddha that a famous courtesan fell deeply in love with a monk who had

gone to beg. The woman had seen many beautiful people she was one of the most beautiful courtesan of

those days that even kings used to queue at her door and she fell in love with this monk, a Bhikku, abeggar.

Buddhist monks are taught: be alert, be watchful. Not even a single breath has to pass through your nostrils

without you being aware of it. So, absolutely watchful, meditative, he must have passed by the woman. She

had seen many beautiful people, but never a man who had walked with such a dignified gait; and that too in

the market place in the midst of noisy surroundings, yet so silently and unaware as if the market did not even

exist. She immediately fell in love with the man. She touched his feet and asked him to come to her home

and stay for this rainy season, for four months. Buddhist monks stop moving for four months. The rains

were just about to come, and the clouds were gathering, and it was time for them to stay and find shelter for

those four months.

She invited him thus, You come to my home. Be my guest for four months. To which the monk replied, I

will have to ask the Master. Tomorrow I will come and reply. If he allows it, I will come.

There were other monks begging in the townthey saw the interaction and they became very jealous. When

the young man came back to Buddha, he stood in the assembly and made the request A woman, a courtesan

Amrapalli is her namehas asked me to stay with her for the coming rainy season. I will do whatever you

say. Many heard it they all stood up aghast and said, This is wrong. Even to have allowed that woman to

touch you. You have broken the rule, and now you are asking to stay with the woman for four months!

Addressing them the Buddha spoke, I told you all not to touch a woman and also not to be touched by a

woman because you are not yet centred. For this man that rule is no more applicable. I can see that he walks

along centred in himselfI have been watching himhe is no more part of the crowd. You are still part of

the crowd. When you go to the market, you go to the market; but he simply passes by as if he had never

gone. And to the Bhikku the Buddha said, Yes, you are allowed.

Now, this was too much; never had it been done before, there was no precedent. All were angry, and for four

months thousands of gossips floated around exaggerating the incident and many rumours were spread that

the monk was no more a monk, that he had fallen.

After four months the monk returned followed by Amrapalli. Buddha looked at the monk, looked at

Amrapalli, and said, Woman, have you something to say to me? She said, I have come to be initiated by

you. I tried to distract your disciple, I failed; this is my first defeat. I have always succeeded. This is the first

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man whom I could not distractnot even an iota. Now a great desire has arisen in me as to how do I attain

to this centring. And the more he has been with me these days, the more I have seen how far away he is

aloof from the world. True, he stayed with me; I danced and sang before him, I played on musical

instruments , I tried to allure him in every way yet I could not disturb his poise. He always remained

himself. Not for a single moment have I seen his mind being clouded nor any desire in his eyes. I tried to

convert him, but instead he has converted me and that too without uttering even a single word. He has not

brought me here; I have come on my own. I for the first time have caught a glimpse of what dignity and

freedom is; I would like to learn that art.

She became a disciple of Buddha.

Goddess of Truth

In the olden days there was great king named Aparajita. he loved his subjects dearly. All were happy and

joyous under his care. The country was prosperous under him.

One morning, he went to bathe in a nearby river. There, he saw a beautiful girl who had actually come out of

his palace. He stopped her and asked, Oh Mother, who are you? Where are you going at this hour allalong?

She replied O King! I am the goddess of wealth, I dont stay at one place for long. But I stayed here for a

long time, as you are a good man. Now I am leaving this place.

Is it so? If you are not happy here, you may go said the king.

After some time another girl was passing along, O Mother! Where are you going? asked the King. She

said, Your Majesty! I am the goddess of virtue. I follow the goddess of wealth.

As you wish mother. You may go, said the king

After sometime another lady came along. Who are you and where are you going? asked the king. She

replied I am the goddess of justice. I reside where the goddess of virtueresides. So I am leaving.

All right! I will not stop you said the king.

After sometime, he saw yet another lady ready to leave. The king asked, Mother! Who are you and where

are you going? She replied, I am the goddess of truth. I stay where my sisters are. I am leaving as all my

sisters have left.

Hearing this, the king became very sad. He instantly fell at her feet and said, Mother! Please be gracious. Idid not worry where the other three left, but I cannot exist without truth. So kindly do not forsake me.

The goddess of truth was moved by these words of the king and said, All right, I am not leaving your

kingdom. The king was happy and he said.O Compassionate Mother! Glory to thee.

Since Truth stayed back, the goddess of justice returned. She said, O King! I stay only where the goddess of

truth resides. It is my good fortune Mother! You are welcome! said the king.

Goddess of virtue returned and pointing to her two sisters said, I do not stay wi thout them. So let me also

stay back. After a while, the goddess of wealth too returned. She said, without justice, virtue and truth,

wealth will be the cause of disaster. So I too have returned.

The happy king prostrated before the goddesses and said, O Mothers! Let the people of my kingdom too

realize the greatness of truth and understand that wherever truth is, there will be justice, virtue and wealth.