Khujjuttara, Khujjuttarā: 1 definition

Introduction
In Buddhism
1. Theravada
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Introduction:

Khujjuttara means something in Buddhism, Pali. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

She was born of a nurse in the house of the banker Ghosita (AA.i.232), and later became a slave of Queen Samavati. The queen gave her daily the eight pieces of money allowed to her by the king for the purchase of flowers. Khujjuttara bought flowers with four pieces from the gardener Sumana, the remaining four pieces she kept. One day the Buddha visited Sumana, and Khujjuttara, having heard the Buddha preach to him, became a Sotapanna. That day she spent the whole amount on flowers. The queen asked her how she had obtained so many, and she told her the whole story. From that time Samavati showed Khujjuttara all honour, bathed her in perfumed water, and heard the Dhamma from her. Khujjuttara became, as it were, a mother to Samavati, and going regularly to hear the Dhamma, would return and preach it to her and her five hundred attendant women. Under the instruction of Khujjuttara they all became sotapannas. When Samavati expressed a desire to see the Buddha, Khujjuttara suggested that she should pierce holes in the walls of the palace and gaze on the Buddha as he passed along the street. After the death of Samavati, Khujjuttara seems to have spent all her time in religious works, listening to the preaching of the Dhamma. The Buddha declared her foremost among lay women by reason of her extensive knowledge (bahussutanam). A.i.26; DhA.i.208ff; AA.i.226, 237f; ItvA.23f.; PsA.498f.

Once, in the past, she was a serving woman of the king of Benares, and one day, having seen a Pacceka Buddha who was slightly hunch backed, she threw a blanket over her shoulder, and bending down to look like a hunchback, she imitated the Buddhas manner of walking. Therefore, in this present birth she herself was hunchbacked. On another occasion eight Pacceka Buddhas, receiving their bowls filled with rice porridge from the palace, found the bowls so hot that they were obliged to move them from one hand to the other. Seeing this, Khujjuttara gave them eight ivory bracelets as stands for their bowls. It is said that these bracelets are still preserved in the Nandamula pabbhara. Because of this act Khujjuttara obtained profound wisdom in this birth, and was able to learn the Tipitaka by heart. In the time of Kassapa Buddha she was the daughter of a treasurer, and had a friend who was a nun; one day when she was adorning herself at eventide the nun visited her, and as there was no servant girl at the time Khujjuttara asked the nun to do various things for her. As a result she was born as a slave. Her desire to become chief among learned lay women was formed in the time of Padumuttara Buddha, on her seeing a similar rank bestowed on a lay woman (DhA.i.226f, etc.; Dvy.339-41).

It is said that the discourses in the Itivuttaka are those which Khujjuttara learned from the Buddha and later repeated to Samavati and her attendant women.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

Relevant text

Search found 6 books and stories containing Khujjuttara, Khujjuttarā; (plurals include: Khujjuttaras, Khujjuttarās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Biography (3-4): Khujjuttarā and Sāmāvatī < [Chapter 45b - Life Stories of Female Lay Disciples]

Part 2 - Story of Brahmin Magandhi < [Chapter 27b - The Buddha’s Ninth Vassa at Kosambī]

Part 2 - The Story of Viṭaṭūbha (son of King Pasenadi and Vāsabhakhattiyā) < [Chapter 38 - Buddha’s Brahmin Parents in His Previous Existence]

Verse 242-243 - The Story of a Man Whose Wife Committed Adultery < [Chapter 18 - Mala Vagga (Impurities)]

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Jataka 354: Uraga-jātaka < [Volume 3]

Jataka 525: Culla-Sutasoma-jātaka < [Volume 5]

Jataka 488: Bhisa-jātaka < [Volume 4]