v.l. Ciñcī.– A female wanderer (paribbājikā) of some ascetic Order. When the heretics of this Order found that their gains were grown less owing to the popularity of the Buddha, they enlisted the support of Ciñcā in their attempts to discredit him. She was very beautiful and full of cunning, and they persuaded her to pretend to pay visits to the Buddha at Jetavana. She let herself be seen going towards the vihāra in the evening, spent the night in the heretics’ quarters nearby, and in the morning men saw her returning from the direction of the vihāra. When questioned, she said that she had passed the night with the Buddha. After some months she simulated pregnancy by tying a disc of wood round her body and appearing thus before the Buddha, as he taught a vast congregation, she charged him with irresponsibility and callousness in that he made no provision for her confinement. The Buddha remained silent, but Sakka’s throne was heated and he caused a mouse to sever the cords of the wooden disc, which fell to the ground, cutting Ciñcā’s toes. She was chased out of the vihāra by those present, and as she stepped outside the gate the fires of the lowest hell swallowed her up (DhA.iii.178 f; J.iv.187 f; ItA.69).

In a previous birth, too, she had helped in various ways to harm the Bodhisatta. For details see:

Cūḷapaduma Jātaka (No.193)

Mahāpaduma Jātaka (No.472)

Bandhanamokkha Jātaka (No.120)

Vānarinda Jātaka (No.57)

Vessantara Jātaka (No.547)

Suṃsumāra Jātaka (No.208)

Suvaṇṇakakkata Jātaka (No.389)

It is stated (Ap.i.299; UdA.263 f) that the Buddha was subjected to the ignominy of being charged by Ciñcā with unchastity, because in a previous birth he had reviled a Pacceka Buddha.

Cp. Sundarī.