Paṭacārā or Patachara was a notable female figure in
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
, described in the
Pali Canon
The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from the Tamrashatiya school.
During th ...
. Among the female disciples of
Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...
, she was the foremost exponent of the
Vinaya
The Vinaya (Pali & Sanskrit: विनय) is the division of the Buddhist canon ('' Tripitaka'') containing the rules and procedures that govern the Buddhist Sangha (community of like-minded ''sramanas''). Three parallel Vinaya traditions remai ...
, the rules of monastic discipline. She lived during the 6th century BCE in what is now
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...
and
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The story of childbirth and loss below has been attributed to Patacara in some Buddhist texts and in others has been attributed to another woman,
Kisa Gotami
Kisa Gotami was the wife of a wealthy man of Savatthi. Her story is one of the most famous ones in Buddhism. After losing her only child, Kisa Gotami became desperate and asked if anyone could help her. Her sorrow was so great that many thought ...
Early life
Patacara was described as the beautiful daughter of a very wealthy merchant of
Savatthi
Shravasti ( sa, श्रावस्ती, translit=Śrāvastī; pi, 𑀲𑀸𑀯𑀢𑁆𑀣𑀻, translit=Sāvatthī) is a city and district headquarter of Shravasti district in Indian State of Uttar Pradesh. It was the capital of the anc ...
, in the
Kosala Kingdom
Kosala Proper or simply Kosala is the kingdom of the celebrated personality of Treta Yuga, Raghava Rama. Ayodhya was its capital, presently in Ayodhya district, Uttar Pradesh. Rama's sons Lava (Ramayana) and Kusha inherited parts of this kin ...
. Her previous name was Roopwati, the most beautiful girl of the whole town. Her over-protective parents used to love her dearly and provide her with every luxury. She also had a younger brother named Bharadwaj. Though she had everything, she was unhappy because of loneliness. She falls in love with one of her parents' servants Amarshanath, a young, good-looking and innocent boy, who had a lower social status. But Amarsh did not have any feelings for her initially. One fine day they go to a forest where they have sexual intercourse, after she wishes for it. At the same time, her parents arrange her marriage with Prince Revant, a handsome young man from a neighbouring kingdom. Roopvati finds out that she is pregnant with Amarsh's child. She decides to elope secretly with him. But Amarsh denies to betray his owners. She then requests him to escape with her before she is married off or everyone knows about her pregnancy. As planned, both Amarsh and Roopwati secretly elope from the palace with some money and ornaments, and reach a small village, far away from the palace to lead a simple but happy life. Then they settle down in a hut of a farmer. And they lead a struggling life to earn bread, without any luxury, but love each other very much. Her family gets furious after they come to know that their daughter has a relationship with a servant and both have eloped.
Childbirth
During her pregnancy, Patacara begged her husband to take her to her parents' house to give birth there, as was the tradition. She justified this by saying that parents always have a love for their child, no matter what has happened. Patacara's husband refused, stating that her parents would surely torture or imprison him. Realizing that he would not accompany her, she decided to go by herself. When he found out about this, he followed her and tried to persuade her to return, but in vain. So finally he agreed to accompany her. Before they could reach Savatthi, she delivered a baby boy. As there was no more reason to go to Savatthi, they turned back and resumed their life in the village.
After a few years, Patacara became pregnant with her second child. Again, she requested her husband to take her home to her parents and when he refused, she began the journey by herself, taking her son with her. Her husband followed. She went to labour and she asked her husband to find some shelter. A heavy storm had hit the place. He went to search for some wood where he was bitten by a poisonous snake and died instantly. Meanwhile, Patacara gave birth to her second son. The next morning, she found her husband lying dead, his body rigid. Distraught, she blamed herself for his death.
Loss of family
![Patachara](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Patachara.jpg)
She continued on her journey to Savatthi, but when she came to the river
Aciravati, it was overflowing due to heavy rain. Unable to wade across with both children, she left the older child on the shore and carried the baby across to the other shore, before returning to take the first son. When she was midway through her return, a vulture swooped on the baby and flew off. Hearing his mother's screaming, the elder son believed Patacara was calling him and entered the water. He was swept off by the strong current. She had lost her husband and both children. She was devastated. Yet, she continued towards the city, in hope of meeting her parents. But on her way she was informed that her parents and brother had been killed after their house collapsed during the storm. Completely shattered and utterly depressed, Patacara becomes insane and then she crazily starts to scream and undress herself. The people used to throw the stones at her, called her crazy woman and tortured her, while nobody recognized who she was previously. She grew more aggressive and insane day-by-day. Whenever any sympathetic person used to try and cover her nude body with clothes, she used to tear those and scream at them. She gradually became unaware of the importance and conduct of clothes which was a great challenge to the norms and values of society. Thus came the name 'Patacara'. People used to hurl abuses at her. She ended up being completely ostracized from the village.
Buddhist life
At that time the Buddha was staying at the
Jetavana
Jetavana (Jethawanaramaya or Weluwanaramaya ''buddhist literature'') was one of the most famous of the Buddhist monasteries or viharas in India (present-day Uttar Pradesh). It was the second vihara donated to Gautama Buddha after the Venuvan ...
,
Anathapindika
Anathapindika ( pi, Anāthapiṇḍika; sa, Anāthapiṇḍada); born Sudatta, was a wealthy merchant and banker, believed to have been the wealthiest merchant in Savatthi in the time of Gautama Buddha. He is considered to have been the chief mal ...
's monastery. Patacara, after running through Savatthi naked and disconsolate, prostrated at the feet of the Buddha, describing her family tragedies. The Buddha explained this using Buddhist doctrines, and Patacara immediately understood the nature of
impermanence
Impermanence, also known as the philosophical problem of change, is a philosophical concept addressed in a variety of religions and philosophies. In Eastern philosophy it is notable for its role in the Buddhist three marks of existence. It is ...
. When she was asked to tell her actual name, she felt awkward as her actual name was 'Roopwati' which means beauty and her condition was completely opposite of her name. Hence, she introduced herself as 'Patacara' (which means 'cloak-walker'
First Buddhist Women
Murcott, Susan). She thus became a sotapanna, the first stage of aryahood. Then she became a bhikkhuni and soon attained arhat
In Buddhism, an ''arhat'' (Sanskrit: अर्हत्) or ''arahant'' (Pali: अरहन्त्, 𑀅𑀭𑀳𑀦𑁆𑀢𑁆) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved ''Nirvana'' and liberated ...
. The Buddha said that she was the foremost ''Keeper of the Vinaya'' amongst the Nuns, and thus the female counterpart of the monk Upali. Her interest in the "Rules of Conduct" of the monastic life was attributed to her reflections on her former indulgences.
Adaptions
* The Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
i novel ''Patachari'', based on Patacara's whole life, was written by Nepali author and artist Ashok Mansingh and published in 2009. It describes the complete life story of Patacara with more original details and some colourful pictures.
* The Nepalbhasa
Newar (), or Newari and known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. ...
film ''Patachara'' was released in 2010, the story based on the life of Patacara, starring Nepalese stars Karma and Melina Manandhar
Melina Manandhar ( Nepali: मेलिना मानन्धर; born January 23, 1977, as Sunita Manandhar) is a Nepalese actress, model and producer. She has acted in films, telefilms, television serials and music videos in Nepali and Newa ...
.
* In Sri Lanka, Sinhalese film ''Ape Kaalaye Patachara
''Ape Kaalaye Patachara'' ( si, italic=yes, අපේ කාලයේ පටාචාරා) is a 2016 Sri Lankan Sinhala epic biographical film directed by Sugath Samarakoon and produced by Vishwakumara Wathiyage for Helawood Films. It stars Dul ...
'' was screened in 2016, where Dulani Anuradha
Dulani Anuradha is a Sri Lankan Sinhaleese Film actress and a dancer by profession. She is best known for the roles in films, Aba, Vijaya Kuweni and Ahelepola Kumarihami.
Cinema career
She primarily portrays characters in historical films and t ...
played the role.
References
*
Notes
{{authority control
Arhats
Foremost disciples of Gautama Buddha