Bimba's Lament Analysis

Within the story of the life of the Buddha, to achieve enlightenment he had to abandon all the worldly pleasures that he possessed, including his family. This creates an interesting circumstance when the Buddha returns to his homeland of Kapilavastu in order to spread knowledge of Dharma and receive alms and comes in contact with his family members for the first time in years. This is particularly problematic for his wife, Bimba, who never recovered from her husband abandoning her, constantly became depressed or furious with her circumstance within the primary document of “Bimba’s Lament.” This document focuses on the suffering of Bimba, and how that suffering relates to the ultimate goal of enlightenment, while also showcasing the contrasting …show more content…
This loss will seem insurmountable and will be a source of Dukkha for any individual, but it is possible to overcome this when practicing Buddhism. The Buddha’s father, stepmother, and wife, Bimba, all eventually learn the eternal truth of Dharma in varying degrees through their suffering. This showcases that even though the absence of the Buddha caused social and emotional troubles, those around him were all furthered from the Buddha achieving enlightenment. This text also describes how differing Brahman traditions are to Buddhist thought, especially when it comes to svadharma; with Buddhism, through this text, encouraging a more egalitarian view of the world, woman’s role being seen an equal to that of a man, especially when concerned with enlightenment itself. “Bimba’s lament” is a story focused on how loss can be fundamental to achieving enlightenment, and in turn, how suffering though loss is vital to understanding the key values of Buddhism, especially when contrasted with traditional Brahman