She belonged to a brahmin family of Sāvatthi and became a believer on seeing the Buddha accept Jetavana. Later, she heard an Arahant monk teach, and, being agitated in mind, joined the Order. Having developed insight, she won Arahantship. Afterwards the Buddha declared her foremost among nuns with the divine-eye (dibbacakkhu) (A.i.25).

In the time of Padumuttara Buddha she was Nandā, daughter of King Ānanda, and, therefore, half-sister of the Buddha. One day she heard the Buddha declare a nun chief among possessors of the divine-eye and herself wished for similar honour. In the time of Kassapa Buddha she was a brahminee and later became a wanderer (paribbājikā). One day she offered alms at the Buddha’s thūpa and kept a lamp burning there all night. She was then reborn in Tāvatiṃsa. Thig. vss.98-101; ThigA.91 f; Ap.ii.569 f; AA.i.199 f.