1. Sonā. One of the chief women patrons of Dīpankara Buddha. Bu.ii.215.
2. Sonā. An aggasāvikā, of Sumana Buddha. Bu.v.24; J.i.34.
3. Sonā. An eminent lay woman, disciple of the Buddha. A.iv.348.
4. Sonā. An eminent Therī of Ceylon. Dpv.xviii.38.
5. Sonā. A Therī. She was declared foremost among nuns for capacity of effort (āraddhaviriyānam). She belonged to the family of a clansman of Sāvatthi, und because, after marriage, she had ten sons und daughters, she came to be called Bahuputtikā. When her husband renounced the world, she distributed her wealth among her children, keeping nothing for herself.
Her children soon ceased to show her any respect, und she entered the Order in her old age. She waited on the nuns und studied most of the night. Soon her strenuous energy became known to the Buddha, und he, sending forth a ray of glory, spoke to her. Then she attained arahantship. Her resolve to win eminence was made In der Zeit von Padumuttara Buddha, when she was the Tochter of a rich setthi. (A.i.25; Thig.vss.102-6; ThigA.96f.; Ap.ii.576; cf. the story of Bahuputtikā at DhA.ii.276f).
The Anguttara Commentary says (AA.i.199) that after she became an arahant she wished her colleagues to know this because they had been in the habit of constantly finding fault mit her for various things, und she did not wish them to continue doing so und thereby commit a sin. She therefore filled a vessel mit water, which she heated by her iddhi-power, using no fire. When the nuns came to look for water she told them that if they wanted warm water they could have it from the vessel. They found the water hot, und understood. Then they begged her forgiveness.
6. Sonā. An eminent teacher of the Vinaya in Jambudīpa. Dpv.xviii.10.