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Asandhimittā

Chief queen of Dhammāsoka. He gave for her use one of the eight loads of water brought for him from Anotatta (Mhv.v.85; two says Sp.i.42). She was a faithful follower of the Buddha’s teaching and died in the thirtieth year of Asoka’s reign (Mhv.xx.2). When preparations were being made to take the branch of the Bodhi-tree to Sri Lanka, she offered to the tree all kinds of ornaments and various sweet-scented flowers (Mbv.152).

Having learnt from the monks that the voice of the karavīka bird was like that of the Buddha, she had a karavīka given her by the king, and listened to his song. Thrilled with joy at the thought of the sweetness of the Buddha’s voice, she attained to the First Fruit of the Path (DA.ii.453; MA.ii.771).

She was called Asandhimittā because the joints in her limbs were visible only when she bent or stretched them (MT.136).

In a previous birth, when Asoka was born as a honey merchant and gave honey to the Pacceka Buddha, she was the maid who pointed out the honey-store to the Pacceka Buddha. She had then wished that she might become the queen consort of the King of Jambudīpa and be possessed of a lovely form with invisible joints. Mhv.v.59‑60.