“These four who are competent, educated, assured, and learned, who have memorized the teachings and practice in line with the teachings, beautify the Saṅgha. What four? A monk, a nun, a layman, and a laywoman.”AN, 4.7
“Under the instruction of Khujjuttarā they all became Stream-enterers (sotāpannas)…The Buddha declared her foremost among lay women by reason of her extensive knowledge.”
Today, on Dakini Day, am happy to announce the creation of a new virtual “umbrella” non-hierarchical community, called Khujjuttāra Lotus Jewelfor laypeople (Upāsakas and upāsikās), named after one of Buddha’s foremost female lay students, Khujjuttarā (see below). The community will be closely aligned with Buddhist teachings and ethics, as well as core, contemporary Buddhist (and humane) values of inclusivity, equality of opportunity, and celebrations of difference between men and women, which is non-discriminatory in terms of gender, sex, race, culture, economic or educational status or age.
The online group will meet once (or twice) monthly and host:
a “Q&A” discussion/teaching on a Dharma topic of general relevance and interest, and/or
a monthly practice (such as Noble Tārā on the 8th, or Yeshe Tsogyel/Guru Rinpoche on the 10th of every lunar month).
Proposed first meeting topic: “What are the most important aspects (and issues) of being a lay Buddhist practitioner in the 21st Century?”
Non-hierarchical/non-monastic
Although, in secret mantra Vajrayana, an authentic, qualified guru and their pure, unbroken lineage and activities cannot be abandoned, or underestimated, in terms of realisations and attaining full awakening, this online Buddhist community is for people who are clearly and decisively aligned with the root Buddhist values, grounded in the original ethics, vows and practice of Buddhism of the Indian sub-continent, as exemplified by the five lay precepts (such as not supporting the wrong livelihood of killing for their food). But also not excessively “modernised” for popularity, to appeal to “non-Buddhists” and thus not losing its authentic essence to Buddhist teachings and lineage. In any case, there will be no monastics, or “tulku” teachers, or hierarchies. I propose to simply be the founder/organiser and facilitator (for now at least).
Register interest in joining and pre-requisites
For those who are interested in participating (and even occasionally acting as the “facilitator”, or contributor in such a community):
The only pre-requisites are being a Buddhist, which means having taken refuge in the three jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha (or wanting to do so) and training/keeping the five main Buddhist precepts of a layperson. Also there will be no anonymity in the meetings, people need to give their real names, and have their videos on (for most, if not all) of the meeting.
The first group meet (if there are enough people interested, mininum 5, maximum 40) will start on an auspicious day, like Noble Tārā day.
At the very least, whether there is sufficient interest or not, I hope this community idea can at least get some momentum and energy into discussions and innovations aimed at bringing practitioners and individuals together in ways that support study, practice, community, love and compassion cross-culture and ages, as well as raise awareness about Buddha’s female lay disciples.
Membership of the community is particularly encouraged for lay followers of the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje who currently have to spread themselves between the various Karma Kagyu monastic communities, which are also not particularly unified, despite the annual Kagyu Monlam. Those who follow other teachers (as long as those teachers are not known to have privately or publicly undermined, or hindered the 17th Karmapa’s activities and teachings, or whose conduct is questionable towards women/children) are welcome to join and participate as a general “umbrella” community for laypeople [1].
Khujjuttāra Lotus Jewel: Name of the community: laywoman, Khujjuttarā, one of the ten foremost female lay disciples of Buddha and laypeople as a “jewel” of the community
Khujjuttāra, foremost disciple in learning, with Queen Samavati who was named also as a foremost laydisciple.
Inspired by the 17th Karmapa’s naming of the annual Karma Kagyu nuns event, Arya Khsema (named after one of Buddha’s foremost nun students), and to maintain the connection to the “heart” of original Buddhist practice and teachings, the new community is named after a woman, Khujjuttarā foremost for her learning, who was initially a servant to an Indian Queen. The Shakyamuni Buddha named ten foremost laywomen disciples [2] and Khujjuttarā is one of them. Her inspiring story in full can be read here.
“The queen gave her daily the eight pieces of money allowed to her by the king for the purchase of flowers. Khujjuttarā bought flowers with four pieces from the florist Sumana, the remaining four pieces she kept. One day the Buddha visited Sumana, and Khujjuttarā, having heard the Buddha preach to him, became a “stream-enterer” (sotāpanna). That day she spent the whole amount on flowers. The queen asked her how she had obtained so many, and she told her the whole story. From that time Queen Sāmāvatī showed Khujjuttarā all honour, bathed her in perfumed water, and heard the Dhamma from her. Khujjuttarā became, as it were, a mother to Sāmāvatī, and going regularly to hear the Dhamma, would return and preach it to her and her five hundred attendant women. Under the instruction of Khujjuttarā they all became sotāpannas… After the death of Sāmāvatī, Khujjuttarā seems to have spent all her time in religious works, listening to the preaching of the Dhamma. The Buddha declared her foremost among lay women by reason of her extensive knowledge.”(bahussutānam). A.i.26; DhA.i.208ff; AA.i.226, 237f; ItvA.23f.; PsA.498f.
In this way, Queen Sāmāvatī and her female servants were given regular discourses in the palace by Khujjuttarā and became important female laypeople disciples of the Buddha [3]. So, even though Khujjuttarā was born into a slave family and had physical difficulties, she is a reminder of how in the Buddha’s community all women, young, old, ugly, beautiful, poor, rich, physically able or not, were included, taught, praised and promoted out of pure merit and ability.
In addition, it is called “Lotus Jewel” because lotus represents women, wisdom and flourishing, and jewel because ancient Buddhist texts refer to lay practitioners who uphold the five precepts, as a “jewel ornament” of the Buddhist community. For more on the five precepts, and a set of video reels I created to explain them in brief, see Buddhist Ethics/Conduct section of the website here.
Fundraising for Offerings to the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje
The 17th Karmapa has been giving extensive online teachings since the COVID lockdown started in 2018 and has continued to this day, all for zero fees or payment. For transcripts and research related to these teachings see here.
Inspired by the 17th Karmapa’s online teachings, all offered for free without payment for many years now, and recent teaching on the importance in Vajrayana in making offerings to one’s guru as an object for gathering merit, I propose to also use the new community space to raise money to donate to the 17th Karmapa’s teachings, centres and activities. As there does not seem to be any clear central place where devotees can send their money/donations to him for his teachings at present (let me know if there is!).
As we know, the 17th Karmapa has still not been allowed to return to Rumtek Monastery, in India and plans to build a centre for him in Delhi (and other places, like Thailand) have sadly not come to fruition. The 17th Karmapa had to remain in a Gelugpa monastery in Dharamsala for many years. It is said that his funds mainly come from wealthy Asian and European individuals but it is not clear.
I do not have a lot of money to donate personally, and for several years, especially during COVID lockdown, was running the website and work “on empty” so to speak! My main offering is of course the contents of this website, and my other Dharma activities (which I have indicated in my will, I want to be given to the 17th Karmapa when I pass away). However, if people (like me) would like to offer monetary donations for the 17th Karmapa’s teaching activities, I have now created a space we can do that via my Paypal (Dakini Publications@gmail.com), or at my fundraising page on ko-fi.com.
In the spirit of generosity, love, metta and compassion, Adele Tomlin, 22nd April 2025.
Endnotes
[1] For example, many people like myself, do not feel welcome (or comfortable) aligning with various US-based communities in particular, who during COVID lockdown times unwisely pressured (or even insisted) people wear surgical masks in retreats and in their centres (which continues in some centres even to this day), and insisted everyone get untested, and potentially toxic, injections, which have since shown themselves to be ineffective as vaccines, but also unnecessary for an endemic virus that could never be contained. More on that in another article perhaps!
[2] Foremost of laywomen disciples of Buddha:
1. Foremost in first going for refuge: Sujātā Seniyadhītā 2. Foremost as donor: Visākhā 3. Foremost in learning: Khujjuttarā 4. Foremost who dwells in metta: Sāmāvatī 5. Foremost in absorption: Uttarānandamātā 6. Foremost in giving fine things: Suppavāsā Koliyadhītā 7. Foremost in caring for the sick: Suppiyā 8. Foremost in experiential confidence: Kātiyānī 9. Foremost in reliability: Nakulamātā 10. Foremost in confidence based on oral transmission: Kāḷī of Kuraraghara
[3] In the Pāli Canon itself, Khujjuttarā’s repute is mentioned in the SN 17.24, entitled “Only Daughter,” the Buddha states that faithful female lay disciples should urge their beloved daughters in the following manner:
“Dear, you should become like Khujjuttarā the lay follower and Velukandakiyā, Nanda’s mother – for this is the standard and criterion for my female disciples who are lay followers, that is Khujjuttarā the lay follower and Velukandakiyā, Nanda’s mother.”
A similar reference is made in AN 4.18.6. Additionally, in AN 1.14, verse 260, the Buddha declares Khujjuttarā to be his “most learned” female lay disciple. The Khuddaka Nikaya book Itivuttaka, a collection of 112 short discourses, is attributed to Khujjuttara’s recollection of Buddha’s discourses [2].
More on Khujjuttarā and the other foremost laywomen disciples can be read here. So, even though Khujjuttarā was born into a slave family, and physically challenged, she is a reminder of how in the Buddha’s community all women, young, old, ugly, beautiful, poor, rich, physically able or not, were included, taught and promoted out of pure merit and ability.
[4] The Itivuttaka (Pali for “as it was said”) is a Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism and is attributed to Khujjuttara’s recollection of Buddha’s discourses. It is included there in the Sutta Pitaka’s Khuddaka Nikaya. It comprises 112 short teachings ascribed in the text to the Buddha, each consisting of a prose portion followed by a verse portion. The latter may be a paraphrase of the former, or complementary. Because these discourses were all preached at Kosambī and repeated there by her, there was no need to specify the place of their preaching; hence the formula “Ekam samayam Bhagavā Kosambiyam viharati” is omitted, and instead is found “vuttam h’etam Bhagavatā arahatā.” (ItvA.32). Some scholars consider it one of the earliest of all Buddhist scriptures, while others consider it somewhat later. Latest translation by Samanera Mahinda has been published in 2018.
3 thoughts on ““KHUJJUTTARĀ LOTUS JEWEL” COMMUNITY: New layperson virtual Buddhist community for for monthly practice, discussion, and group fundraising/initiatives”
I love this! Also shoutout to Vimalakirti Sutra.
Thanks!
Thanks! Will arrange an online meeting in a month or two.