The Prince offers a necklace to Kisa Gotami
This picture follows on from the previous one, after the Prince had toured the royal pleasure gardens, but here he is shown coming back to the palace together with his entourage. The lady we see standing at the palace window is, according to the Pathamasambodhi, "a Sakyan damsel of the town of Kapilavatthu by the name of Kisa Gotami. It does not say in what way she was related to Prince Siddhattha.
However in the Commentary to the Dhammapada, Buddhaghosa, its Indian author, states that she was the daughter of one of the Buddha's aunts, who were Pamita and Amita, both of whom were younger sisters of King Suddhodana. However, he does not state which lady was Kisa Gotami's mother.
Kisa Gotami saw Prince Siddhattha coming back, radiant and resplendent, from his bathing in the lotus pond and, filled with delight at the sight, uttered a spontaneous verse in praise of Prince Siddhattha. In the original Pali the verse was as follows:
Nibbuta nuna sa mata
nibbuto nuna so pita
nibbuta nuna sa nari
yassayam idiso pati
It means: "Quenched and full of joy are they who are the royal mother and royal father of Prince Siddhattha; quenched and full of joy is she who is his wife."
Prince Siddhattha was pleased at her verse, and the word he liked most was the word "quenched," which he interpreted to mean "nibbuta" or Nibbana. He took off his pearled necklace, valued at a hundred thousand "kahapana," and handed it to one of his attendants to give to Kisa Gotami. She interpreted this as meaning that the Prince was attracted to her, a thought that filled her with joy.
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