Sujātā
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According to legend, just before Siddhattha Gotama began the final meditation at the foot of the Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gayā, a young woman named Sujātā offered him a bowl of milk rice and honey. This preparation, called khīrodana or pāyāya in Paḷi, is made by boiling rice and milk until it becomes thick. This meal is said to have given the Buddha the strength he needed to continue his quest and finally attain enlightenment. Depictions of this incident are commonly found in temple wall paintings throughout Asia, although the story is not found anywhere in the Tipiṭaka. However, in one place a woman named Sujātā is mentioned as being the Buddha’s first female disciple (A.I,26).
