The inspirational story about Bhikkhuni Mahapajapati Gotami started long ago during the time of Buddha Padumuttara. On an occasion when she was listening to a discourse by the Buddha, she happened to witness a Bhikkhuni being honoured as the foremost among the Bhikkhunis, who was enlightened earliest. She aspired to the same distinction in a future existence. After making extraordinary offerings to the Buddha, she made the same wish before the Buddha, who predicted that her aspiration would be fulfilled during Gotama Buddha's time. For the rest of her life she spent her time doing many meritorious deeds. After her death, she enjoyed only human and divine life in between the appearance of Buddhas.
So during this world cycle, she was born into a Sakyan royal family and was known by the name of Mahapajapati Gotami, the younger daughter of King Mahasuppabuddha of Devadaha. She was the younger sister to Princess Mahamaya. Distinguished court astrologers, using physiogamy and palmistry on the two sisters predicted that the sons born to them would become a Universal Monarch. When the two sisters came of age, they were both betrothed to King Suddhodana and were taken to Kapilavatthu where the Princess Mahamaya was made the Queen Consort. She gave birth to Prince Siddhattha, the Buddha-to-be but she passed away on the seventh day of the baby's birth. So her younger sister, Mahapajapati Gotami became the foster mother in spite of herself giving birth to baby Nanda only five days ago. However she loved and cared more about her nephew Prince Siddhattha than her own son Prince Nanda, whom she sent to be milk-fed by the other nurses. This left her free to dote on Prince Siddhattha with full care, love and undivided attention, until he grew up strong and healthy.
Her strong material devotion to the Prince Siddhattha until he matured and finally left the palace for his great renunciation, was indeed unique.
In the royal household, there were three persons who had special affinity for the ascetic Siddhattha since his renunciation and who eventually succeeded in attaining Buddhahood, sitting under the Bodhi tree in Bodhagaya. One was the royal father, King Suddhodana; two, the Princess Yasodhara and three, the Queen Mahapajapati Gotami, the foster-mother; all of them eagerly waited for the return of the Buddha to Kapilavatthu. When the Buddha did so, King Suddhodana gave his son, now a Buddha, a magnificent royal welcome reciprocated by the Buddha's preaching, greatly benefiting the royal father who initially attained from Sotapanna and finally Arahantship on his deathbed. Princess Yasodhara was granted her wish when the Buddha, accompanied by His disciples and the royal entourage including King Suddhodana, visited her in her personal chamber and allowed her to pay homage and worship Him as she liked. Queen Mahapajapati Gotami offered to the Buddha her own hand-sown robe. Much to the delight of the Queen, the Buddha accepted her gift.
When King Suddhodana attained Arahantship and passed away into parinibbana, Queen Mahapajapati Gotami felt that she must become a Bhikkhuni. There were five hundred Sakyan who were queen consorts who also wanted to become Bhikkhunis, like what she was thinking of. So Queen Gotami became their leader, approached the Buddha and requested Him to let them, including Princess Yasodhara be ordained as Bhikkhunis. The Buddha refused and turned down their requests several times. Out of sheer frustration and unable to gain any spiritual solace, Mahapajapati Gotami and the five hundred Sakyan ladies shaved their heads, wearing yellow robes, marched up to the Buddha and again requested Him to allow them to be ordained as Bhikkhunis. The Buddha still refused them the permission.
Out of desperation and at wits end, they approached the Venerable Ananda who succeeded in securing the much-awaited permission. They were the only Bhikkhunis who were ordained upon the acceptance of the eight great rules of the nuns and were ordained by a group of Bhikkhus. Needless to say, the new Bhikkhunis practised very diligently and soon attained Arahantship, living in serenity as well as spiritual solace for the rest of their lives.
As a Bhikkhuni, Mahapajapati Gotami practised very earnestly and attained Arahantship with supernormal powers. From then onwards, she enjoyed the homeless life, living harmoniously with the other five hundred ariyan Sakyan ladies, till their ripe old age. One day she happened to review her life-span and found it to have reached the end. She was then one hundred and twenty years old. She then quickly sought the Buddha and His great disciples to obtain their permission to attain parinibbana (the final demise). The Buddha asked her to show her spiritual powers, which she deftly did to the awesome admiration of the audience consisting of the Sangha and the lay people. The five hundred Arahant Sakyan Theris also did their stunning feats of spiritual power as instructed by the Buddha who likewise gave them permission to attain parinibbana. So they all went back to their Bhikkhuni's monastery and did what they had to do.
Mahapajapati Gotami went into meditation. Going through all the jhana stages and finally stopping at the fourth jhana; released herself by entering into parinibbana.
Her funeral, together with those of the five hundred Arahant Theris was very orderly and very dignified as well as grand because it was attended by the Buddha Himself Even the Gods and Deities attended the funeral procession showering down heavenly blooms, a spectacular miracle never seen before.
So ended the great life of the Arahant Theri Mahapajapati Gotami who gave such a grand inspiration for the ladies in search of spiritual solace and profound happiness.
Bhikkhuni Dhammadinna Theri
In family life Dhammadinna was married to a man named Visakha and were devoted to each other, enjoying a happy and comfortable life in Rajagaha, One day Visakha decided to hear the Buddha preaching the Dhamma and was very impressed by what he had heard. So he returned every day to listen to the Dhamma and soon after he became a Non-Returner (Anagami), the third stage of Buddhist Sainthood. This meant he had cut off all attachment to sense pleasure as well as eradicated his ill-will and thus shattering his bondage of repeated birth in Samsara.
While going home one day, he resolved to give up home life and become a Bhikkhu. Upon reaching home, he explained to his wife Dhammadinna, of his noble intention, then he handed over all his worldly wealth to her. His shocked but quick-witted wife then asked for permission to become a Bhikkhuni (Buddhist nun) instead; as she too had realized the worthlessness of worldly wealth. Visakha gladly consented and prepared suitable offerings for the Sangha. He escorted his wife to the Bhikkhunis' residence, offered the gifts, after which presented her for ordination.
Once ordained, Dhammadinna yearned to retreat to the forest to practise meditation in solitude. After obtaining permission she left Rajagaha and joined some like minded Bhikkhunis at the forest hermitage. After acquainted with the new surroundings, she practised meditation intensively and because of her previous-life perfections, she soon attained Arahantship and uttered her triumphant paean of joy at her noble attainment.
Her noble victory had given her great insight and profound skill in explaining the Dhamma to others. Convinced that she had no further reasons to be there, she decided to return to Rajagaha where she could use her new Dhamma expertise to help and benefit others.
Her former husband Visakha, wanted to know why she had decided to return to Rajagaha. Knowing that it was rude to ask her outrightly, Visakha chose to test her Dhamma knowledge instead. So after paying his respects, he questioned her at length about the Dhamma, the path and its fruits and she answered him clearly and accurately. Finally he questioned her about Arahantship but Dhammadinna did not answer, instead she sent him to see the Buddha.
On meeting the Buddha, the layman Visakha related the whole dialogue with Dhammadinna in detail. After hearing his account of the dialogue the Buddha praised Arahant Theri Dhammadinna saying that He would have answered in the same way. Such was the Buddha's high regard for her as the Dhamma expositor and she was ranked as the most competent Dhamma teacher amongst all the other Bhikkhunis.
Source;http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/dawn_02.htm#26
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