Rohiá¹Âë was a princess of the à ÂÃÂkyas and sister of Anuruddha. She is a SotÃÂpanna.
When Anuruddha, cousin and one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha, visited his family in Kapilavastu, his sister Rohiá¹Âë refused to see him because she was suffering from a skin disease. Anuruddha was persistent and requested her presence. She arrived with her face covered with a cloth in shame due to her condition. Her brother advised her to sell some of her clothing and jewellery and have a refectory constructed for the Buddha and his monastics, as this would bring great merit. Rohiá¹Âë did as she was advised and was assisted by her relatives. The construction was supervised by Anuruddha. He instructed her to fill the kamaá¹Âá¸Âalu (water pots) every day and sweep the hall floors. She did so and began to slowly recover from her disease.
Once the hall was complete, the Buddha was invited to partake of food given as alms. After finishing his meal, he sent for Rohiá¹Âë. He asked her if she knew the reason for her affliction. She replied that she did not, so the Buddha told her a story of her past.
Rohiá¹Âë had once, in a past life, been the queen consort of the king of Varanasi. The king had a favourite dancing girl, and the queen became incredibly jealous of her and plotted a scheme against her. One day, she had her attendant put some itching powder made of cowhage pods in the dancer's bed. They called the dancer, and when she arrived, they threw the powder on her. In pain and desperation, the girl sought refuge in her bed, which caused her even more suffering.
The Buddha concluded that Rohiá¹Âë had come to her current condition due to this evil deed. He exhorted his audience with the following verse:
After this discourse, many in the congregation attained the fruit of the sotÃÂpanna. Rohiá¹Âë also became a sotÃÂpanna, and her disease disappeared.
After death, Rohiá¹Âë was reborn in TrÃÂyastriá¹Âà Âa as a beautiful goddess, at the boundary of the territories among four deities. They became enamored with her beauty and each deity laid claim unto her. Unable to settle their dispute, they sought the advice of à Âakra, the lord of TrÃÂyastriá¹Âà Âa.
Upon seeing her, Ã Âakra turned to the gods and asked them of the condition of their minds upon seeing this new goddess. One god said that his mind was tumultuous like battlefield, the second said his mind was racing swiftly like a mountain river, the third said that he could not take his eyes off her, as if they were seized in a crab's claw. The fourth replied that his mind would not keep still and whipped about like a flag in the wind.
à Âakra declared, âÂÂYour minds are over-powered by this form. As for myself, I want to live; I do not want to die. And if I do not get Rohiá¹Âë then I shall surely die.âÂÂ
The gods complied to à Âakra's heavenly authority. He took Rohiá¹Âë as his wife and they departed to enjoy various pleasures.