MahÃÂprajÃÂpatë Gautamë (; Pali: MahÃÂpajÃÂpatë Gotamë) or simply PrajÃÂpatë was the foster-mother, step-mother and maternal aunt (mother's sister) of the Buddha. In Buddhist tradition, she was the first woman to seek ordination for women, which she did from Siddhartha Gautama directly, and she became the first bhiká¹£uá¹Âë (Buddhist nun).
Gotamë's story was widely distributed, with multiple versions existing. It is recorded in the various surviving Vinaya traditions, including the Pali Canon and Sarvastivada and Mulasarvastivada versions.
In the Pali Canon, her request for ordination is detailed in the Anguttara Nikaya. The stories of her past lives are included in the TherëgÃÂthÃÂ, Theri-apadÃÂna and Jataka.
In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha bestows a prophecy upon MahÃÂprajÃÂpatë that in the distant alternate timeline on future, she will become a buddha named Sarvasattvapriyadarà Âana.
According to the Theri-apadÃÂna, Gotamë started on the path of the Dhamma in a past life, during the time of Padumuttara Buddha, when she was born to a wealthy family in Hamsavati. She witnessed Padumuttara Buddha place his aunt, a bhikkhuni, in a senior position, and aspired to achieve the same position after providing offerings to the Buddha and his followers for seven days. Padumuttara Buddha said she would achieve her aspiration under Gautama Buddha. She was later reborn in the Tavatimsa heaven as a god.
Gotamë then returned to the human realm as the leader of 500 female slaves. In that life, they encountered a group of 500 paccekabuddhas who had no huts for the duration of the rain retreat. Gotamë asked the 500 female slaves to provide food offerings and convinced their husbands to build huts for the rain retreat. Following the rain retreat, Gotamë had her followers prepare robes for the paccekabuddhas. In another rebirth, Gotamë is said to have given food alms to 500 paccekabuddhas near Varanasi. Gotamë and her followers continued to perform meritorious acts throughout their lives and were reborn as Tavatimsa gods. Gotamë's followers would follow her in each birth and attain liberation as bhikkhunis during the time of Gautama Buddha.
Tradition says Maya and MahÃÂpajÃÂpatë Gotamë were Koliyan princesses and sisters of Suppabuddha. MahÃÂpajÃÂpatë was both the Buddha's maternal aunt and adoptive mother, raising him after her sister Maya, the Buddha's birth mother, died. She raised Siddhartha as if he were her own child.
An eminent Therë, MahÃÂpajÃÂpatë was born at Devdaha as the younger sister of MÃÂyÃÂ. MahÃÂpajÃÂpatë was so called because, at her birth, augurs prophesied that she would have a large following. Both sisters married King Suddhodhana, leader of the à ÂÃÂkya. When MÃÂyàdied seven days after the birth of the Bodhisatta (the "Buddha-to-be"), PajÃÂpati looked after the Bodhisatta and nursed him. She raised the Buddha and had her own children, Siddhartha's half-sister Sundari Nanda and half-brother Nanda.
When King Suddhodhana died, MahÃÂpajÃÂpatë Gotamë decided to attain ordination. Gotamë went to the Buddha and asked to be ordained into the Sangha three times. The Buddha refused and went on to VesÃÂli. Undaunted, Gotamë cut off her hair and donned yellow robes and with 500 princesses, 250 from the Sakyan kingdom and 250 from the Koliyan kingdom followed the Buddha to VesÃÂli on foot. Upon arrival, Gotamë stood crying at the entrance of the Buddha's residence. Ananda, one of the principal disciples and an attendant of the Buddha, met her and offered to intercede with the Buddha on her behalf. Ananda was refused the first two times and asked the following in this third attempt:
Gotamë agreed to accept the Eight Garudhammas and was accorded the status of the first bhikkhuni. Subsequent women had to undergo full ordination to become nuns.
Gotamë died at the age of 120.