Bimbisāra, Seniya

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Bimbisāra, Seniya. King of Magadha at the time of the Buddha. He had ruled for fifteen years when Gautāma, at the age of 30, passed through his capital on his quest for enlightenment. Thereafter the two had a long and cordial relationship, and after hearing the Buddha preach, Bimbisāra gained the stage of srotāpanna (stream-enterer). He became a patron of the Buddhist saṅgha and donated a park for the use of monks.