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When Gotama, after leaving home, entered Giribbaja
(Rājagaha) for alms,
Bimbisāra saw him go and sent messengers to discover his
whereabouts. They reported that Gotama was taking his meal under the shadow of
the Pandavapabbata. There Bimbisāra visited him and requested him to share his
kingdom. Gotama told Bimbisāra of his antecedents, that he was a
Sākyan of
Kosala and had renounced all pleasures, seeing ill in them (Sn.vs.405 24).
Buddhaghosa explains (SnA..ii.381) that the Sutta was
preached by Ananda at
Jetavana, because he desired to give an account of the
renunciation of the Buddha, similar to that of Sāriputta and others.
The
Commentary adds (p.386) that at the end of the talk with the Buddha, Bimbisāra
asked him to visit Rājagaha as soon as he had attained Enlightenment.

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