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Suvaṇṇatilakā

An outcaste (caṇḍāla) maiden of Uttara Madhurā. She was very beautiful, and was so called because she had a golden mole between her breasts. When the king heard that she wanted to marry a man of high lineage he challenged her to win Uddāḷa of Pañcamadhurā, who hated women. She accepted the challenge and went with her father. On the way seven kings offered to marry her, but she refused them. Uddāḷa fell in love with her at sight and lived with her for four months, neglecting all his duties. His pupils were enraged and killed Suvaṇṇatilakā. He thereupon jumped into her pyre.

In her previous life Suvaṇṇatilakā had been born in Anurādhapura. One day she went with her mother to Abhayuttara-cetiya, and, when her mother went to fetch water to wash the altar, Suvaṇṇatilakā offered the flowers without waiting. The mother was angry and called her an outcaste. Suvaṇṇatilakā retorted, saying, “You are the outcaste, not I.” This was why she became an outcaste. Ras.i.74 f.