6.
The Discourse on Aṅgulimāla
347. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Now at that time in the realm of King Pasenadi of Kosala there was a thief named Aṅgulimāla, cruel, with bloody hands, devoted to striking and killing, without compassion for living beings. By him villages were made non-villages, towns were made non-towns, countryside was made non-countryside. He, having killed and killed human beings, wears a garland of fingers. Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood. Having walked for almsfood in Sāvatthī, after the meal, having returned from his alms round, having set in order his lodging, taking his bowl and robe, he proceeded along the highway towards the thief Aṅgulimāla. Cowherds, cattle herders, farmers, and wayfarers saw the Blessed One proceeding along the highway towards the thief Aṅgulimāla. Having seen the Blessed One, they said this - "Do not, ascetic, proceed along this road. On this road, ascetic, there is a thief named Aṅgulimāla, cruel, with bloody hands, devoted to striking and killing, without compassion for living beings. By him villages were made non-villages, towns were made non-towns, countryside was made non-countryside. He, having killed and killed human beings, wears a garland of fingers. For along this road, ascetic, even ten men, even twenty men, even thirty men, even forty men, even fifty men, having banded together and banded together, proceed. They too fall into the hands of the thief Aṅgulimāla." When this was said, the Blessed One went on in silence. For the second time the cowherds... etc. For the third time the cowherds, cattle herders, farmers, and wayfarers said this to the Blessed One - "Do not, ascetic, proceed along this road. On this road, ascetic, there is a thief named Aṅgulimāla, cruel, with bloody hands, devoted to striking and killing, without compassion for living beings. By him villages were made non-villages, towns were made non-towns, countryside was made non-countryside. He, having killed and killed human beings, wears a garland of fingers. For along this road, ascetic, even ten men, even twenty men, even thirty men, even forty men, even fifty men, having banded together and banded together, proceed. They too fall into the hands of the thief Aṅgulimāla."
348. Then the Blessed One went on in silence. The thief Aṅgulimāla saw the Blessed One coming from afar. Having seen him, this occurred to him: "Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend! For along this road even ten men, even twenty men, even thirty men, even forty men, even fifty men, having banded together and banded together, proceed. They too fall into my hands. And yet this ascetic comes alone, without a companion, forcibly, methinks. What if I were to deprive this ascetic of life?" Then the thief Aṅgulimāla, having taken up sword and shield, having fastened bow and quiver, followed closely behind the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One performed such a feat of supernormal power that the thief Aṅgulimāla, going with all his strength, was not able to catch up with the Blessed One who was walking at his normal pace. Then this occurred to the thief Aṅgulimāla: "Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend! For formerly I, having pursued, would catch even a running elephant, having pursued, would catch even a running horse, having pursued, would catch even a running chariot, having pursued, would catch even a running deer. And yet I, going with all my strength, am not able to catch up with this ascetic who is walking at his normal pace!" Standing still, he said this to the Blessed One: "Stop, stop, ascetic!" "I have stopped, Aṅgulimāla, you too stop." Then this occurred to the thief Aṅgulimāla: "These ascetics, disciples of the Sakyan, are speakers of truth, acknowledgers of truth. And yet this ascetic, while walking, says: 'I have stopped, Aṅgulimāla, you too stop.' What if I were to ask this ascetic?"
349. Then the thief Aṅgulimāla addressed the Blessed One in verse -
And you tell me that I, who have stopped, have not stopped;
I ask you, ascetic, about this matter,
How have you stopped while I have not stopped?"
Having laid aside the rod towards all beings;
But you are unrestrained towards living beings,
Therefore I have stopped while you have not stopped."
Has reached the great forest, a speaker of truth;
I shall live having abandoned evil,
Having heard your verse connected with the Teaching."
Into a pit, a precipice, a chasm;
The thief paid homage at the feet of the Fortunate One,
And right there he requested the going forth from him.
Who is the Teacher of the world with its gods;
Then said "Come, monk",
That itself was his state of monkhood.
350. Then the Blessed One, with the Venerable Aṅgulimāla as his attendant monk, set out on a journey towards Sāvatthī. Wandering on a journey gradually, he arrived at Sāvatthī. There the Blessed One stayed at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Now at that time at the entrance to the inner palace of King Pasenadi of Kosala, a great multitude of people having assembled, there was loud noise, great noise - "There is a thief, Sire, in your realm named Aṅgulimāla, cruel, with bloody hands, devoted to striking and killing, without compassion for living beings. By him villages were made non-villages, towns were made non-towns, countryside was made non-countryside. He, having killed and killed human beings, wears a garland of fingers. May Your Majesty restrain him."
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went out from Sāvatthī during the day with about five hundred horses. He entered the monastery. Having gone by vehicle as far as the ground was passable for vehicles, he descended from the vehicle and approached the Blessed One on foot; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. To King Pasenadi of Kosala seated to one side, the Blessed One said this - "What is it, great king, is King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha angry with you, or the Licchavis of Vesālī, or other hostile kings?" "No indeed, venerable sir, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha is not angry with me, nor are the Licchavis of Vesālī, nor are other hostile kings. There is a thief, venerable sir, in my realm named Aṅgulimāla, cruel, with bloody hands, devoted to striking and killing, without compassion for living beings. By him villages were made non-villages, towns were made non-towns, countryside was made non-countryside. He, having killed and killed human beings, wears a garland of fingers. Him, venerable sir, I will restrain." "But if you, great king, were to see Aṅgulimāla with hair and beard shaved off, having put on ochre robes, gone forth from home into homelessness, abstaining from killing living beings, abstaining from taking what is not given, abstaining from false speech, eating one meal a day, leading the holy life, virtuous, of good character, what would you do to him?" "We would pay respect to him, venerable sir, or we would rise up for him, or we would invite him with a seat, or we would invite him with the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick, or we would arrange righteous protection and safeguarding for him. But from where, venerable sir, would such self-control in morality come to one who is immoral, of bad character?"
Now at that time the Venerable Aṅgulimāla was seated not far from the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having raised his right arm, said this to King Pasenadi of Kosala - "This, great king, is Aṅgulimāla." Then there arose fear in King Pasenadi of Kosala, there arose trepidation, there arose terror. Then the Blessed One, having understood that King Pasenadi of Kosala was frightened, agitated, with hair standing on end, said this to King Pasenadi of Kosala - "Do not fear, great king, there is no danger for you from him." Then whatever fear or trepidation or terror there was in King Pasenadi of Kosala, that subsided. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Venerable Aṅgulimāla; having approached, he said this to the Venerable Aṅgulimāla - "Is the noble one indeed Aṅgulimāla, venerable sir?" "Yes, great king." "Of what clan is the noble one's father, of what clan is his mother?" "My father is a Gagga, great king, my mother is Mantāṇī." "May the noble one Gagga, son of Mantāṇī, be content, venerable sir. I will make effort for the noble one Gagga, son of Mantāṇī, regarding the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick."
351. Now at that time the Venerable Aṅgulimāla was a forest-dweller, an almsfood eater, a wearer of rag-robes, a three-robe wearer. Then the Venerable Aṅgulimāla said this to King Pasenadi of Kosala - "Enough, great king, my robes are complete." Then King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said this to the Blessed One - "Wonderful, Venerable Sir, marvellous, Venerable Sir! How well, venerable sir, the Blessed One is a tamer of the untamed, a pacifier of the unpeaceful, one who brings to final Nibbāna those who have not attained final Nibbāna. For he whom we, venerable sir, were not able to tame with rod or with sword, he has been tamed by the Blessed One without rod, without sword. Well then, venerable sir, we will now go; we have much to do, we have many duties." "Now do as you think fit, great king." Then King Pasenadi of Kosala rose from his seat, paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on his right, and departed.
Then the Venerable Aṅgulimāla, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood. The Venerable Aṅgulimāla, walking for almsfood successively in Sāvatthī, saw a certain woman with an obstructed womb, with a distressed womb. Having seen him, this occurred to him: "Alas, beings are afflicted; alas, beings are afflicted!" Then the Venerable Aṅgulimāla, having walked for almsfood in Sāvatthī, after the meal, having returned from his alms round, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Aṅgulimāla said this to the Blessed One - "Here I, venerable sir, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking my bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood. I saw, venerable sir, walking for almsfood successively in Sāvatthī, a certain woman with an obstructed womb, with a distressed womb." Having seen her, this occurred to me - "Alas, beings are afflicted; alas, beings are afflicted!"
"If so, Aṅgulimāla, go to where that woman is; having approached, say this to that woman - 'Since I was born, sister, I do not know of having intentionally deprived a living being of life, by this truth may there be well-being for you, may there be well-being for your womb.'"
"That would surely be a conscious lie for me, venerable sir. For I, venerable sir, have intentionally deprived many living beings of life." "If so, Aṅgulimāla, go to where that woman is; having approached, say this to that woman - 'Since I was born, sister, with a noble birth, I do not know of having intentionally deprived a living being of life; by this truth may there be well-being for you, may there be well-being for your womb.'"
"Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Aṅgulimāla replied to the Blessed One and approached that woman; having approached, he said this to that woman - "Since I was born, sister, with a noble birth, I do not know of having intentionally deprived a living being of life; by this truth may there be well-being for you, may there be well-being for your womb." Then there was well-being for that woman, there was well-being for her womb.
Then the Venerable Aṅgulimāla, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, before long - that unsurpassed final goal of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness - the final goal of the holy life, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, he dwelt. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being." And the Venerable Aṅgulimāla became one of the Worthy Ones.
352. Then the Venerable Aṅgulimāla, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood. Now at that time a clod of earth thrown by someone fell on the Venerable Aṅgulimāla's body, a stick thrown by someone fell on the Venerable Aṅgulimāla's body, a potsherd thrown by someone fell on the Venerable Aṅgulimāla's body. Then the Venerable Aṅgulimāla, with his head split, with blood flowing, with his bowl broken, with his double robe torn, approached the Blessed One. The Blessed One saw the Venerable Aṅgulimāla coming from afar. Having seen the Venerable Aṅgulimāla, he said this - "Endure it, brahmin, endure it, brahmin. That action, brahmin, by the result of which you would have been tormented in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, the result of that action, brahmin, you are experiencing in this very life." Then the Venerable Aṅgulimāla, gone to a private place, in seclusion, experienced the bliss of liberation; at that time he uttered this inspired utterance -
He illuminates this world, like the moon released from a cloud.
He illuminates this world, like the moon released from a cloud.
He illuminates this world, like the moon released from a cloud.
Let my enemies engage in the Buddha's teaching;
Let my enemies associate with those people,
Who, being peaceful, cause others to accept the Teaching.
Hear the Teaching in due time, and act in accordance with it.
Having attained the supreme peace, he would protect the timid and the firm.
Carpenters straighten wood, the wise tame themselves.
Without stick, without sword, I have been tamed by such a one.
Today I am true to my name, I do not harm anyone whatsoever.
Floating along in the great flood, I came for refuge to the Buddha.
See my going for refuge, the conduit to existence has been uprooted.
Touched by the result of action, I eat food free of debt.
But the wise one guards diligence as the foremost wealth.
For the diligent one, meditating, attains abundant happiness.
Among the well-analysed teachings, I have approached that which is foremost.
The three true knowledges have been attained, the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
The Discourse on Aṅgulimāla is concluded as sixth.