Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v2.c30.182

v2.c30.182

Bhaddā-Kuṇḍalakesā.—A Therī. She was foremost among nuns, of swift intuition, and was born in the family of a treasurer of Rājagaha. On the same day, a son was born to the king’s chaplain under a constellation favourable to highwaymen, and was therefore called Sattuka (q.v.). One day, through her lattice, Bhaddā saw Sattuka being led by the city-guard to execution on a charge of robbery. She fell at once in love with him and refused to live without him. Her father, out of his love for her, bribed the guard to release Sattuka, let him be bathed in perfumed water, and brought him home, where Bhaddā, decked in jewels, waited upon him. Very soon, Sattuka began to covet her jewels and told her that he had made a vow to the deity of the Robbers’ Cliff that, should he escape, he would bring him an offering. She trusted him and, making ready an offering, went with him arrayed in all her ornaments. On arriving at the top of the cliff, he told her of his purpose, and she, all undaunted, begged of him to let her embrace him on all sides. He agreed to this, and then, making as if to embrace him from the back, she pushed him over the cliff. The deity of the mountain praised her presence of mind saying that men were not in all cases wiser than women.