8. Kātiyānī of Unshakable Conviction
Aspiration in the Past
During the time of Buddha Padumuttara the future Kātiyānī was born into a rich man’s family in the city of Haṁsavatī. She saw a certain female lay disciple being named as the foremost in unshakable conviction in the teaching. She admired that female lay disciple. After making extraordinary offerings, she aspired to the same recognition in front of another Buddha, and he predicted that her aspiration would be fulfilled in a future existence.
Discipleship in Her Last Existence
The future Kātiyānī, for 100,000 aeons was reborn either in the Deva realm or human realm, before she was reborn into the family of a householder in the town of Kuraraghara, during the time of Buddha Gotama. She was named Kātiyāni by her parents. When she came of age, she became a close friend of Kāḷī the householder’s wife who was the mother of Ven. Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa (see chapter 43:17).
The Unshakable Conviction of Kātiyānī
On one occasion, Ven. Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa, on his return from the Buddha’s monastery, was requested by his mother to reproduce the Buddha’s words for her benefit. In compliance, he delivered a discourse in the community hall for Dhamma lectures at the town square. As he was starting his discourse from the raised platform, with his mother as the chief listener, Kātiyānī the householder in the company of her friend Kāḷī, arrived and reverentially listened to the discourse in the audience.
At that time a group of five hundred robbers who had dug a tunnel from the outskirts of the town to the house of Kātiyānī according to their secret markings made in the day, had reached the house. Their leader did not join them but was making personal inquiries into the activities of the townsfolk. He stood behind Kātiyānī in the assembly where Ven. Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa was teaching a discourse on the Dhamma.
Kātiyānī said to her female assistance: “Go, girl, get some oil from my house for the lamps. Let us light up the lamps at this meeting hall, and we shall share the merit with our friend Kāḷī in this way. The servant went to the house but on noticing the robbers who were lurking in the tunnel, she was scared and returned to the Assembly Hall without bringing the oil. She reported the matter to her mistress, saying: “Madam, there is a tunnel dug in our compound by robbers!” The robber chief heard the girl’s urgent report to Kātiyānī and thought to himself: “If Kātiyānī were to go home in response to her maid’s report, I will cut off her head immediately. If, on the other hand, she were to keep on listening to the discourse with attention, I will return her all the property which my men loot from her house.”
Kātiyānī said to her maid in whispers: “Hush! The robbers will take only what they find in the house. I am listening to the Dhamma which is hard to be heard. Don’t disturb and
When the robber chief heard Kātiyānī’s words he pondered: “What a devout lady she is! If I were to take the property looted from the house of such a meritorious lady, we would be devoured alive by the great earth.” He hurried to Kātiyānī’s residence, ordered his followers to return everything they had looted and went back with them to the Assembly Hall to listen to the discourse, taking their seats at the end of the audience.
Kātiyānī was established in the fruition of Stream-entry at the end of the discourse by Ven. Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa. When dawn came, the robber chief went to Kātiyānī and prostrating at her feet, said: “Dear madam, kindly forgive us for our fault.” Kātiyānī asked: “What wrong have you done to me?” The robber chief admitted their plot to her. “I forgive you all,” she said.
“Madam, your forgiveness does not exonerate us yet. As a matter of fact, we would request that your son, Ven. Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa, admit all 500 of us into the Saṅgha as novices.” Kātiyānī took the gang to Ven. Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa, and she herself bore all the responsibilities regarding the four requisites for them. They were admitted into the order as novices by Ven. Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa. They strove to gain path-knowledge and ultimately became Arahats. This is the story of Kātiyānī the householder whose conviction in the Three Treasures was unshakable.
Foremost Title Achieved
On a later occasion, during the Buddha’s residence at the Jetavana monastery, when he was naming distinguished female lay disciples according to their respective merits, he declared:
Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvikānaṁ upāsikānaṁ
aveccappasannānaṁ yad-idaṁ Kātiyānī.
Monastics, among my female lay disciples who have unshakable conviction in the teaching, Kātiyānī is the foremost.