Personality of Bimbisara
Bimbisara was know by the people as a remarkable pre Mauryan king, of Magadha. He was regarded by the people of his kingdom as a man with clear perspectives and a dear friend and protector of buddha. He was also known for his cultural achievements. He was also the first king who used the policy of marital alliances to expand the region of his territory. This tradition was not yet seen in any of the dynasties.
Another policy whose origin was commenced by Bimbisara was the policy of sending envoys to strengthen the bilateral relationships. He was considered to be a kind hearted person and helped the needy whenever he could. When he encountered Buddha begging for alms, he persuaded him to join his kingdom to rule Magadha alongside with him so that Buddha can stop living like an ascetic, however Buddha refused. This is not the first time he has been generous, there are numerous accounts of his kind acts. Like he sent Jivaka, a doctor to the king of Avanti who was suffering from jaundice. Another instance that can be taken into account is the fact that Bimbisara was aware that his first child, Ajatashatru would be the cause of his death, but he was overwhelmed with the feeling of becoming a father and raised him with immense affection.
I believe that these traits signify that Bimbisara has a ESFJ personality. It is classified as the “The Provider” personality in MBTI test. It stands for Extraverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging. According to this classification he consists of sensitive feeling to help others and energetically dedicate himself to their responsibilities. ESFJs like a sense of harmony and cooperation around them, and are eager to provide. The are also people who make decisions based on feelings and values, they prefer to be planned and organized rather than spontaneous and flexible.
“Wherever they go, Providers take up the role of social contributor, happily giving their time and energy to make sure that the needs of others are met, that traditions are supported and developed, and that social functions are a success.” — David Keirsey, Please Understand Me II
The people having such personality consist of having certain values:
- ESFJs act according to a strict moral code, and look for others to do the same.
- They often see things in terms of black and white, right and wrong, and they are typically not shy about sharing their evaluations of others’ behaviour.
- They have a sense of order in the way people relate to one another, and often take on roles that allow them to help enforce that social order.
- They tend to be serious and practical, dutifully putting business before pleasure — especially the business of caring for others.
ESFJ is the second most common type in the population. ESFJs make up:
12% of the general population
17% of women
8% of men
From the details that I could procure about the King Bimbisara, I understood that he was selfless, kind-natured human being who was perspective yet could understand the needs of others. He was a particular king who managed to expand and conquer many lands to increase his empire. He used various and out of the box ideas like using marriage alliances and use of envoys to help create strong relations with various empires.
