1. Somá Therí. She was the daughter of the chaplain of King Bimbisára. When she grew up, she saw the Buddha on his first visit to Rájagaha and became a lay disciple. Later she joined the Order, developed insight, and became an arahant.
One day, as she was spending her siesta at the foot of a tree in Andhavana, Mára, wishing to interrupt her privacy, approached her, invisible in the air, and teased her, remarking on the "two finger" consciousness of women. (The Commentary explains that women, when boiling rice, cannot tell if it is cooked without testing it between two fingers, hence the expression). Somá rebuked him, saying that the fact of being a woman was no obstacle to the comprehension of the Dhamma. (This incident is given also at S.i.129).
In the time of Sikhí Buddha Somá was born into the family of an eminent nobleman and became the chief consort of King Arunavá. (Thig.vs.60-62; ThigA.66f). The rest of her story is identical with that of Abhayá Therí (q.v.). She is evidently identical with Uppaladáyiká of the Apadána. Ap.ii.601f.
2. Somá. Sister of Sakulá and queen of Pasenadi. She was a devout follower of the Buddha. M.ii.125; MA.ii.757; she is probably the eminent lay woman referred to at A.iv.347.
3. Somá. An eminent Therí of Ceylon, expert in the Vinaya. Vin.xviii.14.