veḷukaṇṭakī

VeḷukaṇṭakīVeḷukaṇḍakīVeḷukaṇḍakiyāVeḷukaṇṭakiyā

A lady of Veḷukaṇṭa. She is mentioned as an exemplary lay woman.AN.i.88 AN.ii.164 AN.i.26 SN.ii.236 She founded, for the Order headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna an offering which the Buddha praised, because it was endowed with the six requisite qualities.

Once she rose before dawn and sang the Parāyana. Vessavaṇa happened to be passing over her house on his way from north to south, and hearing the song, stopped at her window to praise it and to reveal his identity. She greeted him cordially, and in return for her greeting he announced to her that Sāriputta and Moggallāna were on their way to Velukanta. She, delighted with the news, made all preparations and sent word to the monastery, inviting the monks to the house. After the meal, she informed the Elders that Vessavaṇa had told her of their arrival. When they expressed their amazement, she told them of several other virtues possessed by her. Her only son Nanda was seized by the king’s men and killed before her eyes, but she experienced no disquiet, nor did she when her husband, after his death, having been born as a Yakkha, revealed himself to her. She was guilty of no transgression of the precepts, could enter into the four jhānas at will, and had cast off the five lower fetters. The monks expressed their great admiration and Sāriputta preached to her. AN.iv.63ff.