Gateway to Insight
Chapter 19: The Lament of Bimbā Chapter
(1) Dutiyadivase bhagavā. On the second day, the Blessed One, the refuge of the world, taught the Dhamma to Princess Pajāpatī Gotamī. When the discourse ended, his aunt was established in the fruit of stream-entry. The Buddha’s father was established in the fruit of a once-returner.
On the third day, the Victorious One went to the royal palace. The Buddha’s father offered rice gruel and food to the Sangha of monks and to the Buddha, their master. Then he said, “Venerable Teacher, when you were practicing austerities a deva appeared in the sky and told me, ‘The royal prince has not eaten for six days. His body has become thin and emaciated, and he has passed away at the end of his walking path.’ When I heard the deva’s words, I replied, ‘I do not believe you. My royal son will not pass away until he has attained enlightenment.’ The deva told me again, ‘The royal prince, who strove in austerities, has passed away.’ But I still did not believe the deva’s words.”
The Teacher replied, “Great King, in a past life, when the Tathāgata was a bodhisatta, the teacher Disāpāmokkha brought the bones of a goat and showed them to you, saying, ‘Your son has passed away.’ You did not believe then, just as you do not believe now.”
After the meal was concluded, the Teacher preached the Mahādhammapāla Jātaka. At its conclusion, his noble father attained the fruit of a non-returner. Then the Teacher gave a discourse of appreciation for the meal. Meanwhile, Princess Pajāpatī Gotamī and her maids were also seated there, listening to the Dhamma.
(2) Suddhodanamahārājā. King Suddhodana glanced among the group of ladies but did not see Princess Bimbā. He then asked, “Where has Princess Yasodharā Bimbā gone today that she has not come?” The king then sent a maid to summon her. The messenger went to Princess Bimbā’s palace and saw her sitting there, dressed in ochre robes. The messenger had no opportunity to speak and sat in silence.
Princess Yasodharā saw the messenger and said, “Has the Buddha, my master, who can bring about all benefits, lost his compassion for Bimbā? Has he cut off all affection, leaving Bimbā alone with her child? Ever since he left Bimbā to pursue the holy life, Bimbā has only felt sorrow and grief, a burning in her heart that continues to this day. It would be better for Bimbā to take poison and die than to live.”
The messenger replied, “Your Highness, the noble father has sent me to summon you, for the Buddha, our master, has come to the royal palace for the meal and is now teaching the Dhamma.”
Princess Bimbā heard the messenger’s words, clutched her chest, and wept with lamentation. She then replied, “Did the noble father send for me to come and see my husband, or for some other reason?”
The messenger said, “The noble father sent for Your Highness to come.”
Princess Bimbā replied, “O messenger, I am an unfortunate woman, flawed in every way. If I were to go into his presence, I fear I would diminish his glory. In the past, my husband would come and go from this residence regularly. Why now must Bimbā go to see him in another place? Go and tell the noble father these words from me: ‘Bimbā is an unfortunate woman, which is why the royal prince left her to pursue the holy life. For this reason, I will not go to see him.’ Furthermore, go and tell him this: ‘Bimbā pays her final respects, for she will die today.'” The messenger then returned and reported everything.
(3) Taṃ sutvā mahārājā. The great king, having heard what the messenger reported, related to the Buddha the virtues of Princess Bimbā in full detail and then invited the Lord to go to her.
The Teacher, hearing the invitation from his father, the Buddha, said, “It is fitting. If the Tathāgata does not go to her residence today, Bimbā’s heart will surely break and she will die. Moreover, the mother of Rāhula has shown great virtue towards the Tathāgata in many past lives.”
Then the Lord rose from his seat, gave his bowl to his noble father to follow with him, and asked the Sangha of monks to wait in the royal palace. He went with his two chief disciples and said to them, “The mother of Rāhula has shown great virtue towards the Tathāgata. If she comes and touches the feet of the Tathāgata, do not stop her.” Then the Lord, radiating light, proceeded to the palace of Princess Bimbā. Upon arrival, he sat on a prepared seat and instructed a maid to inform the princess.
Princess Bimbā heard and came out. Seeing the Lord, she lamented as she approached and clasped his feet, expressing all her sorrow to the Teacher, her head resting on his feet as she wept intensely. The Teacher spoke to his noble father, saying, “Great King, the love that Yasodharā has for the Tathāgata in this present time is not as astonishing as it was in the past. When she was born as an animal, her love was even greater than this.” He then related the Candakinnara Jātaka in detail to dispel the sorrow of Princess Bimbā. At the end of the discourse, she attained the fruit of stream-entry. The Teacher then returned to the monastery.
(End of Chapter 19: The Lament of Bimbā Chapter)
