For general sources click here. For sources about Indian ancestors, also see the corresponding section under Literature. Where applicable, specific sources are mentioned in the life description of the ancestor.
Mahapajapati Gotami (5th century BCE)
Pajapati (Sanskrit: Prajapati) and her younger sister Maya were both married to Suddhodana, the leader of the Sakya clan. When Maya died a few days after giving birth to her son Siddhartha, Pajapati took the baby under her care and raised him as her own child alongside her two other children, Sundarinanda and Nanda.
Years later, after Siddhartha had attained enlightenment and shared his discoveries, many men followed him. They left the clan to join Siddhartha, who was now the Buddha. Additionally, there had been a local conflict in which several men had perished. All of this resulted in few men remaining in the community. Many women struggled with a loss of identity and protection without male family members. There was great sorrow and suffering. Pajapati was seen as a wise figure within the community, and the women often sought her counsel. When Pajapati was around sixty years old, her husband Suddhodana passed away. This exacerbated the clan’s problems because his successor, Siddhartha, had left. The next in line, his grandson Rahulata, had accompanied his father and lived within the spiritual group, alongside the other men.
Pajapati was familiar with the teachings of the Buddha and was deeply impressed by it. She realized that these teachings could greatly benefit women. Therefore, she asked the Buddha three times to allow them to join his monastic group. However, the Buddha refused. Pajapati was in tears and could not let go. Her persistence and faith drove her forward. She shaved her head, exchanged her beautiful garments for simple robes, and, along with five hundred other women, journeyed to Vaishali where the Buddha was staying at that time.
It was about 225 kilometers, a long journey on foot through rugged terrain and without male protection. Upon arrival, Pajapati asked Ananda, the personal assistant, to request the Buddha’s permission for the group of women to join the spiritual community. Only after Ananda had asked three times and pleaded for permission did the Buddha grant his approval. However, he did establish additional rules for women. Pajapati became the founder and leader of the first Buddhist community of women. As a tribute, she was named Maha-Pajapati, the Great Pajapati.
- First Buddhist Women, Susan Murcott, 1992
- Śuddhodana – Wikipedia
Khema (5th century BCE)
Khema was the primary consort of King Bimbisara, and full of her own beauty. With an excuse, the king arranged for Khema to meet the Buddha. During her conversation with the Buddha, Khema had a vision of a beautiful girl aging step by step until she became a corpse. This vision instantly awakened her, despite being just a laywoman! Subsequently, Khema chose to become ordained as a nun. Her insight and profound wisdom were evident in the answers she provided to King Prasenajit (in Pali: Pasenadi) when he sought counsel, because King Prasenajit received identical answers when he presented his queries to the Buddha. The Buddha referred to Khema as the Foremost in Great Wisdom within the community of the female sangha.
Together with the nun Uppalavanna , she helped run the community of nuns.
Sundarinanda (5th century BCE)
She was the younger half-sister of the Buddha and took great pride in her renowned beauty. After her mother Mahapajapati established the order of nuns, she joined it. Initially, this was because her father Suddhodana, the leader of the Sakya clan, had passed away, and all her relatives had joined the Buddha’s community. In a personal teaching with the Buddha, he held up a mirror to his half-sister, in which she saw her perfect female body. However, upon closer inspection, she witnessed the beauty fading and the body decaying. This gave Sundari-Nanda profound insight into the impermanence of all phenomena. Ultimately, she was praised by the Buddha as the Foremost Nun in the practice of Jnana – knowledge, direct knowing.
- The Buddha’s sister Sundari Nanda – Wisdom Quarterly
Patacara (5th century BCE)
Patacara was the daughter of a wealthy merchant. She gave up her luxurious life to marry a simple man and left her parental home. One day, she lost both her husband and her two children. When she returned to her hometown, she learned that her parents and brother had perished. Overwhelmed with grief, she wandered around, almost naked and shunned by everyone. She was called Patacari, a term in Pali that means ’the naked woman’ or ’the shameless woman’. During her wandering, one day she encountered the Buddha. Upon hearing his teachings, and when the Buddha addressed her directly, she came to her senses. She decided to become his disciple and gained great insight. Patacara became a prominent teacher with many followers. The Buddha spoke of her as the Foremost Nun in the Vinaya, the rules of discipline for nuns and monks.
- Biography Patacara Theri – Wisdom Library
Bhadda Kundalakesa (5th century BCE)
Bhadda was raised in a wealthy family. She was intelligent, but could also be easily carried away by passion. Her parents were very protective of her because they were afraid that this impulsiveness would get her into trouble.
One day, Bhadda witnessed a thief being led to his execution and fell in love instantaneously. Bhadda insisted that he become her husband. After they were married, the man attempted to kill her for her valuables. Bhadda managed to push him into a ravine. She felt deep remorse for this and became a wandering Jain ascetic. In Jainism it is believed that rigorous asceticism can nullify the negative effects of karma and thus lead to liberation from the cycle of samsara. Non-violence is considered the highest value.
Out of her discontent and her urge to comprehend life, Bhadda always engaged in debates with everyone. She won every discussion, but this didn’t bring her fulfillment. After living this way for decades, at the age of 70, she encountered Shariputra. He asked her a question about the One. For the first time in her life, she couldn’t find an answer. Bhadda was speechless.
She went with Shariputra to meet the Buddha. The Buddha simply said, “A sentence that brings peace is better than a thousand words.” Through this, Bhadda awakened and was liberated. The Buddha called her Foremost Nun in Swift Intuition.
- Bhadda Kundalakesa – Wisdom Library
- Bhadda Kundalakesa – Wikipedia
- Jainism – Wikipedia
Sumana (5th century BCE)
She was the daughter of the king of Kosala and the sister of King Prasenajit (in Pali: Pasenadi). From a young age, Sumana had wanted to become a disciple of the Buddha after hearing him speak. However, she had the duty to care for her grandmother, and she chose not to forsake it. Her strong desire to become a nun persisted, but through her years of practice in daily life, she came to realize that there is only this moment. And that this one moment is everything. When her grandmother passed away at the age of 120, Sumana, who by then was also old, went to the Buddha. He looked at her and said there was nothing more to be done. Sumana decided to return to her daily life. She became known as the greatest among lay followers.
- Women of the Way, Sallie Tisdale, 2006
Kisagotami (5th century BCE)
Kisagotami was a cousin of the Buddha. Her branch of the family was poor. She married into a wealthy family but was mistreated by her in-laws. It wasn’t until she bore a son that this changed. Kisagotami found happiness in her role and status as a mother. However, her happiness was short-lived as the child died at a young age. Overwhelmed with grief, Kisagotami couldn’t accept the reality of the situation. She carried the dead child from door to door in search of a medicine to bring it back to life. The Buddha told her that he would provide such a medicine if she could bring him a mustard seed from a household where no one had died.
The Buddha told her that he would provide such a medicine if she could bring him a mustard seed from a household where no one had died. Mustard seeds were commonly used at the time, so Kisagotami set out with hope, visiting every household. While obtaining the mustard seed was easy, she was informed in every house she visited that someone had died, sometimes multiple people. After visiting many homes, Kisagotami realized that death is a part of life for all beings. She recognized the impermanence of the body, of status, of a self. Finding inner peace, she chose to become a nun.
Dhamma (5th century BCE)
Dhamma was married, but upon hearing the Buddha speak, she desired to join him and become a nun. However, her husband did not give his consent. Undeterred, she patiently waited without complaint until he eventually passed away. As an old and frail woman, she finally received ordination.
One day, after returning from her alms round, tired and exhausted, she stumbled and fell flat on the ground. “Suddenly I fell, and I saw the impermanence of this body with perfect clarity. Finally free!” This is how she described it in the poem that has been passed down.
She was praised as the Foremost in Form, holding to practice amidst ordinary daily life.
Uppalavanna (5th century BCE)
Uppalavana was born as the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Her name means “the color of the heart of a blue water lily.” Because of her beauty, suitors asked for her hand in marriage. However, her father feared that he would get into conflicts with influential families, as he could only marry Uppalavanna off to one man. Therefore, he asked her to become a nun in the Buddha’s community. She willingly embraced this path, as she enjoyed solitude and had a contemplative nature. Within a short time, she attained great realization by contemplating on the flame of a lamp and gained mastery over exceptional spiritual powers as well.
She often stayed in the forest but one day she was raped by a man. This incident led the Buddha to establish more rules for women. Nuns were no longer allowed to live alone, and further restrictions were imposed, such as not being permitted to enter the village alone and not being allowed to travel alone anymore.
The Buddha recognized Uppalavana’s magical powers and named her the Foremost Nun in Supernatural Powers. He appointed her, along with Khema , to lead the community of nuns.
Yasodhara (5th century BCE)
Her name means Bearer of Glory. She was the wife of Siddhartha, who likely had multiple wives. There are various stories about her. It is often said that she was the daughter of Amita, the sister of Siddhartha’s father, and of King Suppabuddha. Yasodhara and Siddhartha married each other when they were both 16 years old. When they were 29, they had a son named Rahulata. In some stories, it is told that the future Buddha left home when Rahulata was a baby. Other stories say that Yasodhara, during the six years Siddhartha was away, was pregnant with their child, went through a similar path of austerity and seclusion as her husband, and gave birth at the moment Siddhartha attained enlightenment.
When the nun’s order was established within the Buddha’s community, Yasodhara also joined. She became a prominent elder among the women and a great teacher for many of them.
See also her extensive biography.
- Yasodhara – Bhikkuni.net
- Everyday Zen Sangha – Norman Fischer Roshi
Soma (5th century BCE)
Soma was the daughter of the high priest of King Bimbisara. She had dedicated herself to the Buddha’s teachings early in her life and spent many years as a lay supporter before eventually becoming a nun. Shortly after joining the order, she awakened to enlightenment. Soma is renowned for her encounter with Mara, the evil one. He sought to shake her resolve, claiming that women lacked the wisdom to attain enlightenment. However, Soma calmly pointed out to him that there is no distinction between man or woman when the heart is ready for liberation. Mara retreated, realizing he had no power over her.
- Mara meets his match – Buddhist inquiry
Sakula (5th century BCE)
She lived in Savatthi where a Buddhist monastery stood and became a lay disciple. But when she heard a monk speak about the Buddha’s teachings, she was deeply moved and decided to become a nun. There was no great sorrow or loss, but rather a profound spiritual experience that led her to join the Buddha’s community.
She could see how in all her previous lives, delusion had led her. In her present life, she attained great insight and was liberated.
The Buddha called her the Foremost in the Divine Eye because she had the ability to see into all worlds.
- Women Buddhist Masters – Nona Olivia, 2017
Bhadda Kapilani (5th century BCE)
Bhadda was born into a very wealthy Brahmin family in the city of Sagala, located in present-day Punjab, Pakistan. Her father was named Kapila and her mother Sucimati. Despite being incredibly beautiful, Bhadda made it clear from a young age that she did not want to marry. However, her parents did not listen to her, and Bhadda was forced into marriage. It turned out that her husband, Pippali, also had not wanted to marry, and together they decided to remain celibate within the marriage. They realized that their wealth was based on the killing of living beings such as insects and worms during the cultivation of their lands. Therefore, they shaved each other’s heads, donned simple clothing, and left everything behind.
Bhadda wandered for years until she came across the group of nuns led by Mahapajapati , which was part of the Buddha’s community. She joined them and was ordained as a nun. In the community, she also encountered her former husband, who had become a disciple of the Buddha after leaving their home. He was given the Buddhist name Kashapa. In the Zen tradition, he is regarded as the successor to the Buddha and is therefore called Mahakashapa.
Bhadda was found to possess great visionary powers. She could see her own past lives, as well as the past lives of others, enabling her to guide other women wisely and appropriately as a nun. The Buddha called her Foremost in Remembering Past Lives.
- Bhadda Kapilani – Dakini Translations
Singalaka mata (5th century BCE)
After Singalaka mata heard one teaching from the Buddha, she immediately gained profound insight and decided to become a nun. The Buddha declared her the Foremost in Faith among the nuns.
Samavati (5th century BCE)
Samavati grew up in an average family. She had a very kind nature. Unfortunately, she lost both her parents, but by fortunate circumstances, she eventually became the wife of King Udena. From her servant Khujjuttara, Samavati heard the teachings of the Buddha. Since Samavati and her ladies-in-waiting were not allowed to leave the palace, Khujjuttara repeated the Buddha’s teachings for them each time. She had a good memory and could convey the teachings so clearly that Samavati and her court ladies became dedicated disciples of the Buddha.
However, another wife of the king was very jealous of Samavati and set the women’s quarters on fire. Samavati and her ladies burned alive but continued to meditate and radiate compassion until the end.
The Buddha called Samavati the Foremost in Loving Kindness (Metta). Due to the teaching position she held and her significant influence, he named Khujjuttara the Foremost in Extensive Knowledge.
- Famous female disciple buddha samavati – International Buddhist College
- Khujjuttara – Palicanon
- The Story of Khujjuttara – Wendy Garling, 2024
Sanghamitta (282-203 BCE)
She was the eldest daughter of Emperor Ashoka and his wife Devi. Along with her brother Mahinda, Sanghamitta had converted to Buddhism. Her brother went to Sri Lanka to spread the teachings of the Buddha at the request of the island’s king. However, it wasn’t just the men, the Sri Lankan women also wanted to be ordained. Since a fully ordained nun was needed for this, Sanghamitta also departed for Sri Lanka. At first, her father didn’t want to allow her to make the dangerous journey, but because Sanghamitta was adamant in her wish, he agreed.
Upon arrival in Sri Lanka, she ordained hundreds of women, with Queen Anula being the first. Thus, Sanghamitta is the founder of the nuns’ order in Sri Lanka.
From India, she brought a young shoot of the original Bodhi tree. This tree is still alive and is honored annually during the full moon in December.
- Sanghamitta – Wikipedia
Prasannasilla (lived around 300 CE)
Prasannasilla (also known as Prakashashila) was the mother of Asanga and Vasubandhu. Her worldly name was likely Virinci, but she became known by the name she received when she became a Buddhist nun. She lived in Gandhara, a region in the northwest of present-day Pakistan. This region was a trade crossroads, experiencing a significant cultural flourishing in the early centuries of our era. It was also an area through which Buddhism spread from India towards China. However, by the 4th century, this period of flourishing began to decline.
According to Tibetan stories, Prasannasilla recognized that she lived in a time when Buddhism was in decline. Out of her desire to contribute to its preservation and for the benefit of all living beings, she gave up celibacy and bore two sons who were born some time apart. These were the half-brothers Asanga and Vasubandhu. They are among the most influential figures in the history of Mahayana Buddhism and are regarded as the founders of the so-called Yogacara school.
- Les matriarches du zen bouddhisme – François Loiseau
- Asanga – bouddhisme.wikibis.com
The Nun of Milan – Giovanni Verardi and Bhikkhuni Dhammadinna, 2024