Sundarī
1. Sundarī.– A leading female disciple (aggasāvikā) of Anomadassī Buddha. J.i.36; Bu.viii.23.
2. Sundarī Therī.– She was born in Bārāṇasī as the daughter of the brahmin Sujāta (9). When her father joined the Order at Mithilā and sent his charioteer home, Sundarī, with her mother’s consent, gave all away and joined the Order, attaining Arahantship in due course. Then one day, with the leave of her teacher, she left Bārāṇasī, accompanied by a large number of nuns, and, visiting the Buddha at Sāvatthi, uttered her “lion’s roar.”
Thirty-
Fifty times she became the wife of a Cakkavatti. Thig.vss.326‑332; ThigA.228 f.
3. Sundarī, Sundarikā.– A female wanderer (paribbājikā). She listened to the persuasions of her colleagues, the heretics, and would be seen in the evenings going towards Jetavana with garlands, perfumes, fruits, etc. When asked where she was going, she would reply that she was going to spend the night in the Buddha’s cell. She would then spend it in a neighbouring monastery of the Paribbājakā and be seen again early in the morning coming from the direction of Jetavana. After some days, the heretics hired some villains to kill Sundarī and hide her body under a heap of rubbish near Jetavana. Then they raised a hue and cry and reported to the king that Sundarī was missing. A search was made, and her body was found near the Gandhakuṭi of the Buddha. Placing the body on a litter, they went about the streets of the city crying: “Behold the deeds of the Sakyan monks!” As a result, the monks were subjected to great insults in the streets. For seven days the Buddha stayed in the Gandhakuṭi, not going to the city for alms, and Ānanda even suggested that they should go to another city.
However, the Buddha pointed out to him the absurdity of running away from a false report, and said that in seven days the truth would be known. The king employed spies, who found the murderers quarrelling among themselves after strong drink. They were seized and brought before the king, where they confessed their crime. The king sent for the heretics and compelled them to retract their accusations against the Buddha and his monks and to confess their own wickedness. They were then punished for murder. Ud.iv.8; UdA.256 ff; DhA.iii.474 f; SNA.ii.528 f; J.ii.415 f
It is said (Ap.i.299; UdA.263) that once the Bodhisatta was a rascal named Munāḷi. One day he saw Surabhi, a Pacceka Buddha, putting on his outer robe just outside the city. Nearby a woman was walking, and Munāḷi said in jest, “Look, this recluse is no celibate, but a rake.” It was this utterance of the Bodhisatta that brought to the Buddha, as retribution, the disgrace in connection with Sundarī.
The Duṭṭhaṭṭhaka Sutta and the Maṇisūkara Jātaka were taught in this connection.
4. Sundarī v.l. Sūnari.– A Kāliṅga princess, kinswoman of Tilokasundarī. She married Vikkamabāhu. Cv.lix.49; for the correctness of the name see Cv.Trs.i.213, n.2.