Amrapali

Āmrapālī, also known as "Ambapālika", "Ambapali", or "Amra" was a celebrated nagarvadhu (royal courtesan) of the republic of Vaishali (located in present-day Bihar) in ancient India around 500 BC. Following the Buddha's teachings, she became an arahant. She is mentioned in the old Pali texts and Buddhist traditions (āgama sutras), particularly in conjunction with the Buddha staying at her mango grove, Ambapali vana, which she later donated to his order and wherein he preached the famous Ambapalika Sutra. The legend of Amrapali originated in the Buddhist Jataka Tales some 1500 years ago. Early life Amrapali was born around 600-500 BCE, to Mahanama & an unknown mother. Etymologically, the variants on her name derive from a combination of two Sanskrit words: amra, meaning mango, and pallawa, meaning young leaves or sprouts. It is said that she was spontaneously born at the foot of a mango tree in one of the royal gardens in Vaishali — hence her name. Even as a young maiden, Amrapali was exceptionally beautiful and ethereal. It is said that a feudal lord by the name of Mahanaman was so enchanted by the young Amrapali's beauty that he abandoned his kingdom and moved to Ambara village, a small hamlet in Vaishali presently in Muzaffarpur. As a courtesan Vaishali was the capital city of the Licchavi tribe, one of the eight Khattiya (Sanskrit Kshatriya) clans that had united to form the Vajjian confederacy. The king was elected by an electoral college consisting of princes and nobles from the Kshatriya clans. It was customary that the most beautiful women in the land, rather than marrying one man, dedicated themselves to the pleasure of many.