Rohiṇī draft, redirect

Rohiṇī 01. Rohiṇī Therī. She was the daughter of a prosperous Brahmin of Vesālī. When the Buddha visited Vesālī, she heard him preach and became a Sotāpanna, taught the Dhamma to her parents, and, with their permission, entered the Saṅgha, where she became an Arahant.

Ninety-one kappas ago she saw Vipassī Buddha begging in Bandhumatī, and, filling his bowl with meal-cakes, paid him homage (Thag­a.214f).

The Therīgāthā (vss.271-90) contains a set of verses spoken by her in exaltation, when, after becoming an Arahant, she recalled to mind the discussion she had had with her father while she was yet a Sotāpanna.

It is said (Thīg­a.219f) that the last stanza of the series was spoken by her father, who later himself joined the Saṅgha and became an Arahant.

Rohiṇī 02. Sister of Anuruddha Thera. When he visited his family at Kapilavatthu, she refused to see him because she was suffering from a skin eruption. But Anuruddha sent for her, and when she came, her face covered with a cloth, he advised her to erect an assembly hall for the monks. She consented to do this, sold her jewels, and erected a hall of two stories, the building of which was supervised by Anuruddha. At the dedication ceremony she entertained the Buddha and the monks. At the conclusion of the meal the Buddha sent for her. She was reluctant to go to him owing to her disease, but was persuaded, and he told her the story of her past.

Long ago she had been the chief consort of the king of Benares, and being jealous of a dancing girl whom the king loved, she contrived to get powdered scabs on the girl’s body, clothes and bed. The girl developed boils and her skin was ruined.

At the conclusion of the Buddha’s sermon, Rohiṇī’s disease vanished and her body took on a golden color, while she herself was established in the First Fruit of the Path. After death, Rohiṇī was born in Tāvatiṁsa, at the meeting point of the boundaries of four deities. Because of her beauty, each deity claimed her as his, and they referred their quarrel to Sakka. Sakka, too, became enamored of her, and when he confessed his desire, they agreed to let him take her, and she became his special favourite. Dhp­a.iii.295ff.

Rohiṇī 03. A small river dividing the Sākyan and Koḷiyan countries. A dam was constructed across the river, and the people on the two sides used the water to cultivate their fields. Once, in the month of Jeṭṭhamūla, there was a drought, and a violent quarrel arose between the two peoples for the use of the water. A battle was imminent, when the Buddha, seeing what was about to happen, appeared in the air between the opposing forces in the middle of the river and convinced them of the folly of killing each other for the sake of a little water. It is said that he preached on this occasion the Attadaṇḍasutta and the Phandanajātaka (Ja 475), the Laṭukikajātaka (Ja 357) and the Vaṭṭakajātaka (Ja 357).

To show their gratitude to the Buddha for his timely intervention, the Sākiyans and the Koḷiyans gave two hundred and fifty young men from each tribe to be ordained under him. Snp­a.i.358; cp. Ja.v.412; Dhp­a.iii.254ff. The accounts differ in details; the Jātaka account, which is the longest, mentions other Jātakas: Daddabhajātaka (Ja 322) and Rukkhadhammajātaka (Ja 74). DN­a.ii.672f. and SN­a.i.53ff substitute Paṭhavudriyanajātaka (??) for Daddabhajātaka (Ja 322). But see under these Jātakas.

The Rohiṇī is identified with a small stream which joins the Rapti at Goruckpore. It is now called the Rowai or Rohwaini. For details see Cunningham, Archeological Survey of India xii.190ff.

Dhammapāla says (Thag­a.i.501) that the Rohiṇī flows from north to south and that Rājagaha lies to the south-east of it.

Rohiṇī 04. An asterism (MN­a.ii.783; Snp­a.ii.456). The planting of the Bodhi-tree in Ceylon was performed under this constellation. Mhv.ix.47.

Rohiṇī 05. v.l. Rohī. A city which was the birthplace of Paccaya Thera. Thag­a.i.341.

Rohiṇī 06. A slave woman of Anāthapiṇḍika. See the Rohiṇījātaka.

Rohiṇī 07. See Rohita.