1. Kiságotamí Therí.-An arahant. She was declared chief among women disciples with respect to the wearing of coarse robes (lúkhacívara-dharánam) (A.i.25; the DhA.iv.156 contains a story of the Buddha speaking to Sakka the praises of Kiságotamí). She came from a poor family in Sávatthi (of a setthikula, which had fallen on evil days, says the Apadána p.565, vs.19). Gotamí was her name - she was called Kisá because of her thinness. She was married into a rich family, by whom she was disdainfully treated; but as soon as she bore a son she was shown respect.
(Except by her husband says the Apadána loc. cit.20. The DhA.ii.270ff account, however, makes no mention of her ill treatment; on the contrary, it leads us to expect that she should have been greatly esteemed because, prior to her arrival, her father-in-law's wealth, forty crores in amount, had all turned into charcoal. When she touched the charcoal it once more became gold. This account is found also in SA.i.149).
The boy, however, died when just old enough to run about; his mother, distraught with grief, fearful lest the dead child should be taken from her, went about with him on her hip, seeking medicine to revive his life. People laughed at her, until one wise man, realizing her condition, directed her to the Buddha. The Buddha asked her to bring him a mustard seed from a house where no one had yet died. In the course of her search for the impossible her frenzy left her, and having grasped the truth, she laid the child in the charnel field, and returning to the Master begged admission to the Order. She became a Sotápanna, and soon after, when her insight was developed, the Buddha appeared before her in a blaze of radiance and, listening to his words, she became an arahant. (ThigA.174ff; Ap.ii.564f; DhA.i.270ff; AA.i.205).
In the verses ascribed to her in the Therígáthá (vv.213-23), she incorporates the story of Patácárá in her own psalm, as though to utter more fully the pageant and tragedy inherent in woman's lot, whereof her own sorrow was but a phase.
In the time of Padumuttara Buddha she was a householder's daughter in Hamsavatí, and having heard the Buddha assign to a bhikkhuní the foremost rank among wearers of coarse robes, she vowed that one day the same rank should be her's.
In the time of Kassapa Buddha she was the fifth daughter of Kikí and her name was Dhammá. Then she entered the Order and lived a celibate life (Ap.ii.564f; ThigA.190f). She is identified with the lizard in the Tittira Játaka (J.iii.543).
The Samyutta Nikáya (i.129f) records a visit paid to her by Mára as she sat resting in Andhavana. He was forced to retire discomfited.
2. Kiságotamí.-A Khattiya-maiden of Kapilavatthu. She saw from her balcony Siddhattha Gotama returning in his chariot to his palace on receipt of the news that a son had been born to him. Gotamí was gladdened by the sight of him, and gave vent to her exultation in the famous "nibbutá-pada" (nibuttá núna sá mátá, etc.).
Gotama was pleased by the mention of the word nibbuta, which to him meant deliverance, and as a mark of his gratitude sent her the necklace of pearls which he wore, worth one hundred thousand. She accepted it gladly as a token of his love (J.i.60f; BuA.232f). She is sometimes spoken of as a cousin of Gotama, his father's brother's daughter (pitucchádhítá). (E.g., DhA.i.70; DhSA.34. A parallel has been drawn between this story and that of Luke xi.27).
3. Kiságotamí.-Wife of the Buddha Phussa in his last lay life. Their son was Ananda. Bu.xix.16.
4. Kiságotamí.-One of the chief women supporters of the Buddha Tissa. Bu.xviii.23.