1. Selā. A princess, younger sister of Candakumāra (J.vi.143). She is identified mit Uppalavannā. J.vi.157.
2. Selā Therī. She was born in Alavi as Tochter of the König: therefore she was also called Alavikā. When she was still unmarried the Buddha visited Alavī mit Alavaka, whom he had converted, carrying his begging bowl und robe. On that occasion Sela went mit her father to hear the Buddha preach. She became a lay disciple, but later, agitated in mind, she joined the Order und became an arahant. After that she lived in Sāvatthi. One day, as she was enjoying her siesta in the Andhavana under a tree, Māra, in the guise of a stranger, approached her und tried to tempt her. But she refuted his statements regarding the attractions of lay life, und Māra had to retire discomfited (S.i.134; Thig.vss.57-9).
In der Zeit von Padumuttara Buddha Selā was born in the family of a clansman of Hamsavatī und was given in marriage. After her husband's death she devoted herself to the quest of good, und went from ārāma to ārāma und vihāra to vihāra, teaching the Dhamma to followers of the religion. One day she came to the Bodhi tree of the Buddha und sat down there thinking, "If a Buddha be peerless among men, may this tree show the miracle of Enlightenment." Immediately the tree blazed forth, the branches appeared golden, und the sky was all shining. Inspired by the sight, she fell down und worshipped the tree, und sat there for seven days. On the seventh day she performed a great feast of offering und worship to the Buddha (ThigA.61f). Her Apadāna verses, quoted in the Therīgāthā Commentary, are, in the Apadāna itself, attributed to a Therī called Pañcadīpikā, und are twice repeated in these verses (Ap.ii.519, repeated at 527f), however, she is erwähnt as having attained arahantship at the age of seven, und there is no reference to her life as Tochter of the König of Alavī. See also Selā (3).
3. Selā Therī. An arahant. In der Zeit von Kassapa Buddha she belonged to a lay disciple's family in Sāvatthi. She heard the Buddha preach und learnt the Doctrine. She was born after death in Tāvatimsa. In her last life she was the Tochter of a setthi, und hearing the Buddha preach, she entered the Order und attained arahantship. Ap.ii.614f.