9. Nakulamātu

The story of Nakulamātu has already been told, when dealing with the story of Nakulapitu (see chapter 45a:10). Here we only need pay attention to Nakulamātu. Nakulapitu and Nakulamātu were of the same aspiration in the time of Buddha Padumuttara. When the future Nakulapitu was a lay disciple, he witnessed a lay disciple being designated as the foremost among lay disciples who were close to the Buddha. He made a great offering and aspired to that designation. Likewise, when the future Nakulamātu witnessed a female lay disciple being designated as the foremost among female lay-disciple who were close to the Buddha, she made great offerings and aspired to that title. ^{Since both stories are identical, the commentary does not give a separate account of Nakulamātu.} Nakulamātu, like Nakulapitu, was declared by the Buddha:

Etad-aggaṁ bhikkhave mama sāvikānaṁ upāsikānaṁ
vissāsikānaṁ yad-idaṁ Nakulamātā gahapatānī.

Monastics, among the female lay disciples who are close to me, Nakulamātu is the foremost.