The Bodhisatta was born as a rich Brahmin in Bārāṇasī. After his education at Takkasilā his parents wished him to marry. After much persuasion he agreed to do so, if they could find a woman like a golden image which he would make. Emissaries were sent out and they found a girl of sixteen, Samīllabhāsinī, in the Kāsi kingdom. She did not wish to marry either, but yielded to her parent’s wishes. Though the two young people were married they lived in celibacy and when their parents died they gave away their immense wealth and became ascetics. Samillabhāsini died of dysentery caused by unsatisfactory meals. The Bodhisatta coming back from his begging-rounds found her dead on a bench, but proceeded to eat his meal much to the surprise of the onlookers. On being questioned, “Why should I weep?” he said “that which has the quality of dissolution is dissolved.”

The story was related in reference to a landowner who, when his wife died, gave himself up to despair. The Buddha, seeing his potential (upanissaya), went out to meet him and told him the story, whereupon he obtained the First Fruit of the Path. J.iii.92-7.