Khujjuttara


Khujjuttarā was one of the Buddha's foremost female lay disciples.
According to commentaries to the Pali canon, Khujjuttara was a servant to one of the queens of King Udena of Kosambi named Samavati. Since the queen was unable to go listen to the Buddha, she sent Khujjuttarā who went instead and became so adept that she was able to memorize the teachings and teach the queen and her 500 ladies in waiting. From these discourses of the Buddha, Khujjuttarā, Queen Samavati and the queen's 500 ladies in waiting all obtained the fruit of the first stage of Enlightenment.
In the Pali canon itself, Khujjuttarā's repute is mentioned in the SN 17.24, entitled "Only Daughter," the Buddha states that faithful female lay disciples should urge their beloved daughters in the following manner:
A similar reference is made in AN 4.18.6. Additionally, in AN 1.14, verse 260, the Buddha declares Khujjuttarā to be his "most learned" female lay disciple.
The Khuddaka Nikaya book Itivuttaka, a collection of 112 short discourses, is attributed to Khujjuttara's recollection of Buddha's discourses.