Sundari Nanda

Most venerable bhikkhuni Sundarī Nandā
Buddha stops Nanda, who tried to escape from the Sangha.
TitleForemost bhikkhuni in the practise of jhana
Personal
Born6th century BCE
ReligionBuddhism
PartnerPrince Nanda
Parent(s)Shakya King Suddhodhana (father), Queen Maha Pajapati Gotami (mother)
DynastyShakya Republic
Other namesRupa Nanda, Janapada Kalyani
Occupationbhikkhuni
RelativesSiddhartha (brother) Nanda (brother)
Senior posting
TeacherGautama Buddha
Translations of
Sundarī Nandā
Englishlit. 'beautiful Nandā'
SanskritSundarī Nandā
PaliSundarī Nandā
Chinese孫陀利難陀
(Pinyin: Sūntuólìnántuó)
Japanese孫陀利難陀
(Rōmaji: Sondarinanda)
Korean손타리난타
(RR: Sondarinanda)
Sinhalaසුන්දරී නන්දා
TagalogSundali Nanda
Thaiรูปนันทาเถรี
VietnameseTôn-đà-lợi Nan-đà
Glossary of Buddhism

Princess Sundarī Nandā of Shakya, also known simply as Sundarī, was the daughter of King Suddhodana and Queen Mahapajapati Gotami. She was the half-sister of Siddhartha Gautama, who later became a Buddha.[1] She became a nun after the enlightenment of her half-brother and became an arhat. She was the foremost among bhikkhunis in the practice of jhana (total meditative absorption).[2] She lived during the 6th century BCE in what is now Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India.

  1. ^ "The Buddha's Sister: Sundari Nanda". American Buddhist Journals. 29 June 2011.
  2. ^ Murcott, Susan (1991). The First Buddhist Women: Translations and Commentaries on the Therigatha.