A slave woman of Rājagaha. Late one night, when standing outside the house, cooling herself after having pounded a large quantity of rice, she saw Dabba-Mallaputta taking some monks to their lodgings. She thought to herself that she had to work and therefore could not sleep early, but why should monks, who are free from care, be sleepless? She concluded that one of them was sick or had been bitten by a snake. At dawn the next day she went down to the bathing-ghat, taking a cake made of rice dust and baked over charcoal, meaning to eat it after the bath. On the way she met the Buddha and offered him the cake, though she did not expect he would eat it. However, the Buddha, who was with Ānanda, accepted the gift and sat down to eat it, while Puṇṇā stood watching. When the meal was over, the Buddha asked her what she had thought of the monks, and she told him. The Buddha pointed out to her that monks could not sleep until late for they had to be watchful and assiduous. At the end of the discourse Puṇṇā became a Stream-winner.

It was in reference to this Puṇṇā that the Kuṇḍakakucchisindhava Jātaka was taught. DhA.iii.321 ff.