![]() Once when Buddha and his disciples stopped at Vaishali for one day, Ambapali offered them the use of her garden of mangoes outside the city so that they might rest in the cool shade of the trees. When she went to meet Buddha in the garden she was utterly surprised to witness the halo around him, which glowed like the midnight moon. After Ambapali received the Dharma from Buddha she bowed down at his feet and invited the Lord and his disciples to a meal the following day, which was accepted by the latter. On her way back the nobles of Vaishali offered her great riches to sell the honor of the company of Buddha but she refused it saying that even if she were offered the whole of Vaishali she would not have obliged. The following day she herself attended Buddha and his followers in great humility and then offered him the garden which Buddha accepted seeing the purity of the heart that offered it. This was the turning of Ambapali's life and understood the Dharma and became a virtuous woman and entered the order of nuns. With the heart of wisdom strengthened in her, she became an "arahant" Her transformation confirmed the belied that as the lotus springs from black and watery mud, Ambapali also despite her immoral character managed to achieve the height of spiritual development. She renounced her materialistic life and position full of riches and splendors and accepted Buddhist faith. Throughout the rest of her life she remained an active supporter of the Buddhist order. Her son by Bimbisara who also became a monk in the later stage also adopted her traits. |