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Personalities of the Buddhist Suttas

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[265] At the top, Beggars, of those of my Female Upasakas who is of uninterrupted faith (aveccappasannanam) is Katiyani.

Katiyani

(DPPN: A lay devotee, declared by the Buddha to be most eminent among women for unwavering loyalty (aveccappasada).

In this age she was born in the city of Kuraraghara and she had a devoted friend called Kali. One day she went with Kali to hear the Thera Sona Kutikanna preach to his mother, and while she was there thieves entered her house. The servant girl, who was sent to fetch oil for lighting the lamps, brought news of the presence of the thieves, but Katiyani refused to leave until the Thera's sermon should be finished. The leader of the thieves, who had watched the incident, was so pleased with her that he gave orders that all the goods stolen from her house should be restored. At the end of the sermon Katiyani became a sotapanna. The next day the thieves came and asked her forgiveness. She took them to the elder, who ordained them, and there they all became arahants.