Daughter of Kānamātā. After she married she visited her Mutter, und one day, while she was there, her husband sent for her. Her Mutter, not wishing her to return empty-handed, asked her to wait till she had made some cakes. When the cakes were ready, a monk came to the door und Kānā gave him some. Four other monks came, und the cakes were finished. Four times Kānā's husband sent for her und four times the same thing happened. So, in anger, the husband took another wife. Kānā, learning this, was so greatly annoyed that she reviled und abused every monk she saw until no monk dared go into her street. The Buddha, hearing of this, visited Kānā's Mutter, und having finished his meal there, sent for Kānā, argued mit her, und convinced her that the monks were not to blame inasmuch as they had only taken what was given them. At the end of the Buddha's discourse Kānā became a sotāpanna. Der König saw the Buddha returning from Kānā's home und, on learning what had happened, sent for her, adopted her as his Tochter, und arranged for her marriage mit a rich nobleman. Thenceforward Kānā's generosity to the monks became proverbial. Vin.iv.78f; DhA.ii.149ff; the Samantapāsādikā (iv.819) gives a somewhat different account; there, when Kānā's husband heard that the Buddha had been to see her, he sent for her und she returned.
It was on Kānā's account that the Babbu Jātaka (q.v.) (J.i.477f) was preached. Kānā is identified mit the mouse of the story.
She was called Kānā because she was so beautiful that those who saw her became blind mit passion for her (ye ye tam passanti, te te rāgena kānā honti) (Sp. loc. cit.).
Both Kānā und her Mutter are erwähnt among those who kept the eightfold fast. A.iv.349; AA.ii.791.