A Sákiyan of Kapilavatthu. He was converted with Bhaddiya and four other Sákyan nobles at Anupiyá, shortly after the Buddha's visit to Kapilavatthu (Vin.ii.182; DhA.i.112f). The Theragáthá Commentary says (ThagA.i.235f; Thag.118, 155f, According to DhA.i.117, Kimbila became an arahant soon after ordination together with Bhagu; see also J.i.140 and AA.i.108) that while at Anupiyá the Buddha, in order to arouse Kimbila, conjured up a beautiful woman in her prime and then showed her to him passing into old age. Greatly agitated, Kimbila sought the Buddha, heard the Doctrine and, having entered the Order, in due course won arahantship. Kimbila seems to have maintained throughout his early friendship with Anuruddha, dwelling with him and Nandiya, now in this wood or park, now in that. The Buddha visited them at Pácína-vamsadáya when he was going away, disgusted with the recalcitrant monks of Kosambí. (Vin.i.350; J.iii.489; see also Upakkilesa Sutta, M.iii.155ff and ThagA.i.275f). They were in the Gosingasálavana when the Buddha preached to them the Cúla-Gosinga Sutta, at the conclusion of which, Dígha Parajana Yakkha sang the praises of all three (M.i.205ff). Their number was increased by the presence of Bhagu, Kundadhána, Revata and Ananda, on the occasion when the Buddha preached the Nalakapána Sutta in the Palásavana at Nalakapána (M.i.462ff).
In three different places in the Anguttara Nikáya (A.iii.247; 339; iv.84) record is made of a conversation between Kimbila and the Buddha, when Kimbila asks how the Dhamma could be made to endure long after the Buddha's death and what were the causes which might bring about its early disappearance. The conversation took place in the Veluvana (Niceluvana?) in Kimbilá. According to the Anguttara Commentary (AA.ii.642), however, it would appear that the Kimbila mentioned here was not Kimbila the Sákyan but another. We are told that this Kimbila was a setthiputta of Kimbilá. He joined the Order and acquired the power of knowing his previous births. He recollected how he had been a monk at the time when Kassapa Buddha's religion was falling into decay, and seeing how the Faith was neglected by its followers, he made a stairway up a cliff and lived there as a recluse. It was this memory of his previous life which prompted Kimbila's question.
Elsewhere (S.v.322f ) the Buddha is reported as questioning Kimbila at the same spot on the question of breathing. Kimbila remains silent though the question is put three times. Ananda intervenes and suggests that the Buddha should himself furnish the answer so that the monks may learn it and profit thereby.
In the time of Kakusandha Buddha, Kimbila had been a householder; after the Buddha's death he erected a pavilion of salala-garlands round his cetiya (ThagA.i.235). He is probably to be identified with Salalamandapiya Thera of the Apadána (Ap.i.333).
The Dhammapada Commentary (DhA.i.115; iv.126) mentions a story which shows how delicately nurtured Kimbila was. One day, in a discussion with his friends, Anuruddha and Bhaddiya, as to where rice came from, Kimbila remarked that it came from the granary (kotthe).
2. Kimbila.-A setthiputta of Kimbilá who later became a monk. See Kimbila (1).