Amrapali or Ambapali was born around 600-500 BC to an unknown parentage, and was given her name because at her birth she was found at the foot of a mango tree in one of the royal gardens in Vaishali.
Amrapali grew to be a lady of extraordinary beauty, charm, and grace in the city of Vaishali. Many young nobles of the republic desired her company. To avoid confrontations among her suitors, she was accorded the status of the state courtesan of Vaishali. When Ajatshatru attacked Vaishali for the first time, he got injured and took refuge in Amrapāli's house.Before long, Amrapāli and Ajatshatru fell in love. When she learned his true identity, Amrapāli asked Ajatshatru to leave and cease his war. Ajatshatru, smitten with love, did as she asked and left vaishali.
When the people of Vaishali, came to know that she cured and helped Ajatshatru, they imprisoned her. Hearing this, Ajatshatru attacked vaishali again, and this time he burned the whole of Vaishali. Almost everyone died in the massacre, except his Beloved Amrapali. But on coming to know the terrible truth of her lover who had brought death and destruction on her beloved Vaishali, her love for her lover turned into remorse. She wandered deep into the forest outside the city when she heard words preaching kindness, love, compassion. She had stumbled into Gautama Buddha a who was on one of his many sojourns for spreading his message of love and brotherhood. Hurt and heartbroken that she was, Amrapali found solace in Buddha's words; she went closer to the Master and fell at his feet and begged him to allow her to join the order. Amrapali became the first woman to become the disciple of Buddha.