THE ARAHANT KHEMA

THE FIRST CHIEF FEMALE DISCIPLE OF BUDDHA

During the time of Buddha called Padumuttara, Khema was born in a servant's family in the city of Hansavati.

One day she came across the Lord Buddha, Padumuttara, with his disciples for alms. Having seen him she wanted to offer alms to him, but could not do so because she had no money. So she cut off her beautiful hair, role it and with the money she prepared food and offered to the Lord Buddha. Then finally she made a vow saying:-
"Venerable Sir, in future birth, by the power of this merit, may I become a chief among Bhikkhunis who possess great wisdom."
During her life time, having performed, various meritorious deeds, she was born in the "Devã loka" and thus enjoyed divine bliss.


KHEMA AS A LECTURER

In the time of the Buddha Vipassi she was born again in the human world in a rich family. Having listened to the Dhamma of Buddha Vipassi, she renounced the worldly pleasures and became a Bhikkhuni. As time went on she learned the Dhamma and began to preach it to the people.

During the time of Konagamana she accumulated much merits and performed various meritorious deeds including the erection of a monastery for the Buddha.

In the time of Buddha Kassapa she was born in a royal family and become the Elder Sister of King Kasi. Having listened to the Dhamma preached by the Buddha Kassapa she had no desire for worldly life and observed celibacy throughout her life.

Later on she also built a monastery and offered it to the Buddha Kassapa and his disciples.


THE CONSORT OF THE KING BIMBISARA

During the time of Buddha Gotama she was reborn in a royal family in the city of Sagala in Magadha province. Her parents named her "KHEMA" because she was so beautiful and her body had the complexion of gold. When she attained her maidenhood, she was married and became the consort of king Bimbisara, who was an ardent follower of the Buddha. The kind tried to take his consort Khema to the presence of the Buddha, but she did not like to see the Buddha. The season was that she heard that the Buddha always disapproved of, and discredited the beauty of women-folk.

One day the kind asked the other inmates, to explain the serenity and the scenery of the temple and specialy bodily characteristic of the Buddha in order to induce Khema to go to the Temple. Finally, she agreed to go to the temple with the kind, and on arriving there she walked here and there, admiring the scenery and the beauty of the temple and the she tried to return home without paying a visit to the Buddha.

Anyhow the servants of Khema told her that it was not proper to return home without seeing the Buddha.


THE DIVINE DAMSEL

The Buddha already knew that Khema would be coming to see him, so he created a divine damsel fanning him.

Khema having seen the beautiful girl fanning the Buddha, thought to herself that she heard that the Buddha discredited the beauty of the women; "but now I see for myself that a beautiful girl is fanning the Buddha... "and again thought to herself; "what is the beauty of the girl who is fanning compared to me? I am not even a fraction of a dot and I am not even fit to be a servant of this girl. "She was thinking so again and again without caring to listen to the Dhamma.

The Buddha having seen Khema admiring the divine figure, made a resolution to change the beautiful figure gradually in to old age, finally appearing in the form of a skeleton as that of a female ghost. Khema, after seeing the change of the beautiful figure into that of a she-ghost, thought to herself, and realized what beauty was after all and thus the pride of beauty in herself vanished when she realized the impermanence of life and recognised the process of decay. At the conclusion of the sermon delivered by the Buddha, Khema attained the higher stage of Sainthood with the analytical knowledge of the Dhamma.

She went straight a way to the palace and stood before King Bimbisara, without paying due respect to him, to ask permission to renounce the world.

The King having understood that she had attained sainthood, straightaway granted permission for her to join the Holy order. The King was very pleased. He put her in a golden palanquin and took her to the Nunnery and caused her to be ordained. She attained Arahantship before the Order. She was well known for the Great Wisdom.

When the Buddha appointed Bhikkhunis to different posts, Khema was appointed as the first Bhikkhuni among those who had great wisdom, (Maha paññã), pronouncing the following words:-
"ETADAGGAM BHIKKHAVE MAMA SAVIKANAM BHIKKHUNINAM MAHA PAÑÑÃM YADIDAM KHEMA".

One day when she meditating under a tree, "Mara" the Evil one, appeared in disguise as a handsome youth. The youth told her that she was a very beautiful young girl and that he was also handsome, and youthful and why should they waste their youthhood instead of enjoying pleasure. On hearing this, Khema told him that she had uprooted all the desire for sensual pleasure and now following path.