Khujjuttara
Khujjuttarā was a prominent female lay disciple of the Buddha, recognized for her exceptional understanding and recall of his teachings. Serving Queen Sāmāvatī, she became instrumental in transmitting the Buddha's discourses to the queen and her retinue, leading to their spiritual advancement. The Buddha himself praised Khujjuttarā as his "most learned" female lay disciple, establishing her as a benchmark for faithful lay followers.
Key Facts
- ›One of the Buddha's foremost female lay disciples (upāsikā).
- ›Served as a servant to Queen SāMāvatī of King Udena of Kosambi.
- ›Memorized the Buddha's teachings and taught them to the queen and her 500 ladies-in-waiting.
- ›Achieved the first stage of enlightenment (stream-enterer) along with the queen and her retinue.
- ›The Buddha declared her his "most learned" female lay disciple.
- ›The Itivuttaka, a collection of discourses, is attributed to her recollection of the Buddha's teachings.
Important Relationships
- Queen Sāmāvatī
- King Udena of Kosambi
Itivuttaka
Kosambi
Gautama Buddha
Pali
Lay Follower Vows
About Khujjuttara
Khujjuttarā
Khujjuttarā stands as one of the most celebrated female lay disciples of Gautama Buddha. Her significance lies not only in her personal spiritual attainment but also in her pivotal role as a spiritual teacher and exemplar within the Buddhist tradition.
Life and Spiritual Practice
According to commentaries on the Pāli Canon, Khujjuttarā was a servant to Queen Sāmāvatī, one of King Udena's consorts in Kosambi. When the queen was unable to attend the Buddha's discourses, she sent Khujjuttarā in her stead. Khujjuttarā proved to be an exceptionally diligent and adept listener, memorizing the teachings with remarkable clarity. She then became the primary conduit of these teachings to Queen Sāmāvatī and her 500 ladies-in-waiting. Through these teachings, Khujjuttarā, the queen, and the entire retinue achieved the profound spiritual realization of becoming "stream-enterers" (Sotāpanna), marking the first stage of enlightenment.
Recognition by the Buddha
The Buddha himself acknowledged Khujjuttarā's eminence on multiple occasions. Her virtue and devotion were so highly regarded that the Buddha cited her as a benchmark for his female lay followers. In the Saṃyutta Nikāya (SN 17.24), he instructed his disciples to encourage their daughters to emulate Khujjuttarā and Velukandakiyā, Nanda's mother, stating they represented the standard for faithful laywomen. Further testament to her intellectual prowess and spiritual depth, the Buddha declared Khujjuttarā to be his "most learned" female lay disciple in the Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN 1.14).
Legacy
Khujjuttarā's influence extends to the canonical literature of Buddhism. The Khuddaka Nikāya book, the Itivuttaka, which comprises 112 short discourses, is attributed to Khujjuttarā's diligent recollection and compilation of the Buddha's teachings. This attribution underscores her profound connection to the preservation and dissemination of the Dhamma, solidifying her legacy as a vital figure among the Buddha's disciples.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Khujjuttarā?
Khujjuttarā was a highly regarded female lay disciple of the Buddha. She is noted for her deep understanding and memorization of the Buddha's teachings.
What was Khujjuttarā's role in the Buddha's teachings?
Khujjuttarā served Queen Sāmāvatī and, unable to attend the Buddha herself, conveyed his teachings to the queen and her 500 ladies-in-waiting. She became a conduit for spiritual understanding within the palace.
What spiritual attainment did Khujjuttarā achieve?
According to commentaries, Khujjuttarā, along with Queen Sāmāvatī and her attendants, attained the first stage of enlightenment, known as 'stream-enterer' (Sotāpanna).
How did the Buddha regard Khujjuttarā?
The Buddha referred to Khujjuttarā as his "most learned" female lay disciple. He also cited her as a standard and criterion for his other faithful female lay followers.
Is there a specific Buddhist text attributed to Khujjuttarā?
Yes, the Itivuttaka, a collection of 112 short discourses, is attributed to Khujjuttarā's recollection of the Buddha's discourses.
Related Buddhists
Maudgalyāyana
Maudgalyāyana, also known as Mahāmaudgalyāyana and by his birth name Kolita, was a principal disciple of the Buddha, renowned for his extraordinary psychic powers. He is considered the second of the Buddha's two foremost male disciples, alongside Śāriputra, and is often depicted as accompanying the Buddha in Buddhist art. Maudgalyāyana played a significant role in reuniting the monastic community after a schism and is associated with the tradition of filial piety, particularly through the popular account of him transferring merits to his mother, which is linked to the ghost festival.
Samavati
Samavati was one of the queens of King Udena of Kosambi. She became a foremost female lay disciple renowned for her loving-kindness and compassion after her servant Khujjuttara introduced her to the Buddha's teachings. Samavati regularly invited the Buddha and his monks to preach the Dhamma to her and her 500 ladies-in-waiting.
Sundarī Nandā
Sundarī Nandā was a princess of the Shakya clan and the half-sister of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha. Renowned for her beauty and grace, she later became a nun and attained enlightenment, becoming recognized as foremost among bhikkhunis in the practice of jhana (meditative absorption). Her life story highlights themes of impermanence and the path to spiritual liberation within early Buddhism.