Amrapali's Spiritual Transformation

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When one's awareness is clear, there is nothing ever that can disturb his abidance in his true nature.

An old Buddhist story states the above fact.

Amrapali was a bewitching beauty. She was a prostitute who was visited by people of the higher strata like kings, generals and statesmen. She was made a prostitute due to the demands of the olden times where a very beautiful woman was to be available for everyone, in order to avoid lust resulting in jealousy, covetousness and other problems. She was not to get married.

One day Amrapali happened to see a Buddhist monk with his fellow monks walking on the road, from her house. She at once fell in love with his grace, awareness and his glorifying presence. Her heart had not fluttered that way for any of the great men who frequented her. She hence approached the monk and invited him for a meal in her abode, while the other monks' eyes sparkled with sparks of jealousy. Their human frailties took wings as they carefully had them under the cover of righteousness, “How could he step into a prostitute's house?"

The Buddhist monk returned back to his fellow monks and said that Amrapali has invited him to stay in her house for the rainy season that lasted for four months. According to the tradition, Buddhist monks were to be on the move for eight months where they are not to stay in a place for more than three days. During the rainy season they were to stay in a place for four months due to the weather conditions.

The monk however did not accept Amrapali's invitation immediately. He told her that he would accept her offer only after seeking the permission and consent of his master, Gautama Buddha.

Amarpali's invitation to the monk to stay in her house further stirred the jealousy of the other monks. News had reached Buddha even before he could deliver it to Him. Buddha however silenced the complaining monks and waited for the concerned monk. The monk related his meeting with Amrapali and her invitation to stay in her house to Buddha. Buddha just looked into his eyes for a few seconds and granted him the permission to accept the invitation, much to the shock of the others. Soon there were rumours about the monk and Amrapali.

At the end of four months, everybody eagerly awaited the return of the monk. The monk did return, but followed by Amrapali to the shock of everyone. She was clad in a monk's attire. She narrated to Buddha her attempts to seduce the monk. However it was the monk who was the one who transformed her!

Buddha told his disciples that he permitted the monk to stay in Amrapali's house as He saw no desire in his eyes.

Amrapali in due course attained enlightenment under Buddha's guidance.

When one handles everything that he comes across with awareness, nothing can ever shake him. The monk was a fully aware being whose awareness and very presence actually resulted in the spiritual transformation of Amrapali.