A millionaire (seṭṭhi) of Rājagaha,³ father of Uttarā Nandamātā. He had been a poor man and had worked for the millionaire Sumana. One feast day, though his master offered him a holiday, he went to work in the field, because he was too poor to be able to enjoy himself. While he was in the field Sāriputta came to him, and Puṇṇa gave him a tooth stick and water. Puṇṇa’s wife, coming with her husband’s food, met Sāriputta as he was coming away, and offered him the food she carried. She cooked fresh rice and took it to her husband, who was overjoyed to hear of her gift to Sāriputta. After the meal, he rested his head for a while on his wife’s lap, and, on awaking, he found that the field he had ploughed had turned into gold. He reported the matter to the king, who sent carts to fetch the gold; but as soon as his men touched it, saying that it was for the king, it turned again into earth. The gold was, therefore, gathered in Puṇṇa’s name, and the king conferred on him the rank of Bahudhanaseṭṭhi. He built a new house, and, at the feast of inauguration, held a great almsgiving to the Buddha and the monks. When the Buddha thanked him, he and his wife and his daughter Uttarā (q.v.) became Stream-winners.⁴ In the Aṅguttara Commenatry ⁵ the man’s name is given as Puṇṇasīha, of which Puṇṇa is the shortened form.

It is this Puṇṇa, described as a hired servant (bhataka), who is mentioned in the Milindapañha ⁶ among the seven people whose acts of devotion brought reward in this very life.