Angulimala: A Story of the Power of Compassion
(As told by Ven. Walpola Piyananda Thera in Love in Buddhism)
There was once the son of a Brahmin (the highest "priestly" caste
in India) in the court of King Pasenadi of Kosala, whose name was Ahimsaka.
He was sent to Taxila for his studies. Ahimsaka was intelligent and obedient
to this teacher; therefore he was liked by both the teacher and his wife. This
made the other pupils jealous of him. So they went to the teacher and falsely
accused Ahimsaka of having an immoral relationship with the teacher's wife.
At first, he did not believe them, but after hearing it a number of times, he
thought it was true and vowed to have revenge on Ahimsaka. He thought that to
kill him would reflect badly on him. His rage prompted him to suggest the unthinkable
to the young and innocent Ahimsaka. He told his pupil to kill a thousand human
beings and to bring the right thumb of each as payment for teaching him. Of
course the youngster would not even think of such a thing, so he was banished
from the teacher's house and returned to his parents.
When his father learned why Ahimsaka had been expelled, he became furious with
his son, and would hear no reason. On that very day, with the rain pouring down,
he ordered Ahimsaka to leave the house. Ahimsaka went to his mother and asked
her advice, but she could not go against the will of her husband. Next Ahimsaka
went to the house of his betrothed (in accord with the ancient custom in India
calling for betrothal of children long before their actual marriage), but when
the family learned why Ahimsaka had been turned out of school, they drove him
off. The shame, anger, fear, and despair of Ahimsaka drove him out of his mind.
His suffering mind could only recollect the teacher's order: to collect 1,000
human thumbs. And so he started killing, and as he killed, the thumbs he collected
were hung on a tree, but as they were destroyed by crows and vultures, he later
wore a garland of the fingers to keep track of the number.
Because of this he came to be known as Angulimala (finger garland) and became
the terror of the countryside. The king himself heard about the exploits of
Angulimala, and he decided to capture him. When Mantani, Ahimsaka's mother,
heard about the king's intention, she went to the forest in a desperate bid
to save her son. By this time, the chain around the neck of Angulimala had 999
fingers in it, just one finger short of 1,000.
The Buddha; learned of the mother's attempt to dissuade her son from, and reflected
that if he did not intervene, Angulimala, who was on the lookout for the last
person to make up the 1,000, would see his mother and might kill her. In that
case, he would have to suffer an even longer period for his evil kamma. Out
of compassion, the Buddha left for the forest.
Angulimala, after many sleepless days and nights, was very tired and near exhaustion.
At the same time, he was very anxious to kill the last person to make up his
full quota of 1,000 and so complete his task. He made up his mind to kill the
first person he met. As he looked down from his mountain perch, he saw a woman
on the road below. He wanted to fulfil his vow to complete the 1,000 thumbs,
but as he approached, he saw it was his mother. At the same time, the Buddha
was approaching, and Angulimala had just enough presence of mind to decide to
kill the wandering monk instead of his mother. He set out after the Blessed
One with his knife raised. But the Buddha kept moving ahead of him. Angulimala
just could not catch up with him. Finally, he cried out, "O Bhikkhu, stop,
stop!" And the Enlightened One replied, "I have stopped. It is you
who have not stopped." Angulimala did not catch the significance of these
words, so he asked, "O bhikkhu! Why do you say that you have stopped while
I have not?"
The Buddha replied, "I say that I have stopped because I have given up
killing all beings. I have given up ill-treating all beings, and have established
myself in universal love, patience, and knowledge through reflection. But you
have not given up killing or ill treating others and you are not yet established
in universal love and patience. Hence, you are the one who has not stopped."
On hearing these words Angulimala was recalled to reality, and thought, these
are the words of a wise man. This monk is so very wise and so very brave that
he must be the leader of the monks. Indeed, he must be the Enlightened One himself!
He must have come here specially to make me see the light. So thinking, he threw
away his weapons and asked the Blessed One to admit to the Order of the bhikkhus,
which the Buddha did.
When the king and his men came to capture Angulimala, they found him at the
monastery of the Buddha. Finding that Angulimala had given up his evil ways
and become a bhikkhu, the king and his men agreed to leave him alone. During
his stay at the monastery, Angulimala ardently practiced meditation.
Angulimala had no peace of mind because even in his solitary meditation he used
to recall memories of his past and the pathetic cries of his unfortunate victims.
As a result of his evil kamma, while seeking alms in the streets he would become
a target of stray stones and sticks and he would return to the Jetavana monastery
with broken head and blood flowing, cut and bruised, to be reminded by the Buddha:
"My son Angulimala. You have done away with evil. Have patience. This is
the effect of the evil deeds you have committed in the existence. Your evil
kamma would have made you suffer through innumerable existences had I not met
you."
One morning while going on an almsround in Savatthi, Angulimala heard someone
crying out in pain. When he came to know that a pregnant lady was having labor
pains and facing difficulty to deliver the child, he reflected, all worldly
beings are subject to suffering. Moved by compassion, he reported the suffering
of this poor woman to the Buddha who advised him to recite the following words
of truth, which later came to be known as Angulimala Paritta. Going to the presence
of the suffering woman, he sat on a seat separated from her by a screen, and
uttered these words:
Sister, since the day I became an arahat
I have not consciously destroyed
The life of any living beings.
By this truth, may you be well
And may your unborn child be well.
Instantly the woman delivered her child with ease. Both the mother and chid
were well and healthy. Even today many resort to this paritta.
Angulimala liked living in solitude and in seclusion. Later he passed away peacefully.
As an arahant, he attained parinibbana.
Other bhikkhus asked the Buddha where Angulimala was reborn, and when the Blessed
One replied, my son Angulimala has attained parinibbana, they could hardly believe
it. So they asked whether it was possible that such a man who had in fact killed
so many people could have attained parinibbana. To this question, the Buddha
replied, "Bhikkhus, Angulimala had done much evil because he did not have
good friends. But later, he hound good friends and with their help and good
advice he became steadfast and mindful in practicing the dhamma and meditation.
Thus, his evil deeds have been overwhelmed by good kamma and his mind has been
completely rid of all defilements."
The Buddha said of Angulimala
"Whose evil deed is obscured by good,
he illumines this world like the
moon freed from a cloud."
The power of love and compassion are stronger than any evil, and are absolute
conditions for awakening.