03-04 Khujjuttarā and Sāmāvatī

Khujjuttarā, who aspired to be foremost in learning, and Sāmāvatī, who aspired to be foremost in loving-kindness, were born as a humpbacked slave and a queen, respectively. Khujjuttarā, while buying flowers for Queen Sāmāvatī, heard the Buddha teach and became a Stream-enterer. She then taught the Dhamma to Sāmāvatī and her 500 ladies-in-waiting, who all attained Stream-entry. Sāmāvatī became renowned for her loving-kindness, which protected her from King Udena's murderous rage, instigated by the jealous Queen Māgaṇḍiyā. Ultimately, Māgaṇḍiyā succeeded in having Sāmāvatī and her retinue burnt alive as a result of their past evil deed. In recognition of their virtues, the Buddha later declared Khujjuttarā as the foremost female lay disciple in learning and Sāmāvatī as the foremost in dwelling in loving-kindness.