mn.86 Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Discourses)

Thus have I heard: Sāvatfthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now at that time, in the realm of King Pasenadi of Kosala there was a robber named Aṅgulimāla a hunter, bloody-handed, bent on death and destruction, merciless to living creatures. Through him villages were depopulated and market towns were depopulated and country districts were depopulated. From his constant killing of people he wore a garland of fingers.

Then the Lord, having dressed in the morning, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood; having walked for alms in Sāvatthī, returning from the alms gathering after the meal, having packed away his lodging, taking his bowl and robe, he set out along a highway towards the robber Aṅgulimāla. Cowherds, goatherds, yeomen farmers and travellers saw the Lord as he was setting out along the highway towards the robber Aṅgulimāla. Having seen the Lord, they spoke thus to him: “Do not, recluse, set out along this road. There is a robber on this road called Aṅgulimāla, a hunter, bloody-handed, bent on death and destruction, merciless to living creatures. Through him villages are depopulated and market towns are depopulated and country districts are depopulated. From his constant killing of people he wears a garland of fingers. This is a road, recluse, along which ten or twenty or thirty or forty men set out only after they have collected together, and even they are at the mercy of the robber Aṅgulimāla.” When this had been said, the Lord, having become silent, went on.

And a second time, the cowherds, goatherds, yeomen farmers and travellers spoke thus to the Lord: “Do not, recluse, set out along this road. There is a robber on this road called Aṅgulimāla, a hunter, bloody-handed, bent on death and destruction, merciless to living creatures. Through him villages are depopulated and market towns are depopulated and country districts are depopulated. From his constant killing of people he wears a garland of fingers. This is a road, recluse, along which ten or twenty or thirty or forty men set out only after they have collected together, and even they are at the mercy of the robber Aṅgulimāla.” And a second time, when this had been said, the Lord, having become silent, went on.

And a third time, the cowherds, goatherds, yeomen farmers and travellers spoke thus to the Lord: “Do not, recluse, set out along this road. There is a robber on this road called Aṅgulimāla, a hunter, bloody-handed, bent on death and destruction, merciless to living creatures. Through him villages are depopulated and market towns are depopulated and country districts are depopulated. From his constant killing of people he wears a garland of fingers. This is a road, recluse, along which ten or twenty or thirty or forty men set out only after they have collected together, and even they are at the mercy of the robber Aṅgulimāla.” And a third time, when this had been said, the Lord, having become silent, went on.

The robber Aṅgulimāla saw the Lord coming in the distance; on seeing him, it occurred to him: “Indeed it is wonderful, indeed it is marvellous. This is a road, along which ten or twenty or thirty or forty men set out only after they have collected together, and even they are at my mercy. And now this recluse is coming along alone, without a companion, it seems from choice. Suppose I were to deprive this recluse of life?” Then the robber Aṅgulimāla, having grasped his sword and shield, having armed himself with bow and quiver, followed close after the Lord.

Then the Lord performed such a wonder of psychic power that the robber Aṅgulimāla, although walking with all his strength, was not able to catch up with the Lord who was walking at an ordinary pace. Then it occurred to the robber Aṅgulimāla: ‘Indeed it is wonderful, indeed it is marvellous. Although formerly I could attack and seize a running elephant, I could attack and seize a running horse, I could attack and seize a running chariot, I could attack and seize a running deer, now I, although walking with all my strength, am not able to catch up with this recluse who is walking at an ordinary pace. Standing still, he said to the Lord: “Stand still, recluse, stand still, recluse.” “I am standing still, Aṅgulimāla, you too stand still.”

Then it occurred to the robber Aṅgulimāla: “These recluses, sons of the Sakyans, are truth-speakers, approving of truth. But yet this recluse, while he is walking, says: ‘I am standing still, Aṅgulimāla, you too stand still.’ Suppose I were to question this recluse?” Then the robber Aṅgulimāla spoke out to the Lord in verses:

“While you are walking, recluse, you say:
‘I am standing still,’
and you tell me, who am standing still,
that I am not standing still.

I ask you, recluse, about this matter:
How is it that you are standing still,
yet I am not standing still?”

“I, Aṅgulimāla, am standing still,
having for all beings everywhere laid aside the stick,
But you are unrestrained regarding creatures;
therefore I am standing still,
you are not standing still.”

“Long it is since a great sage was honoured by me, yet this recluse is penetrating the Great Grove. I will soon get rid of evil, hearing dhamma in a verse of yours.” When the robber had spoken thus, he hurled his sword and weapons down a cliff, into a pit, a chasm. The robber honoured the Well-farer's feet; there he asked for the going forth. The Awakened One and compassionate great sage, who is the Teacher of the world with its devas, thereupon said to him: “Come, monk.” This itself was monk's status for him.

Then the Lord set out on tour for Sāvatthī with the venerable Aṅgulimāla as his attendant. In due course, walking on tour, he arrived at Sāvatthī. While he was there the Lord stayed near Sāvatthī, in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery.

Now at that time, a great concourse of people, having gathered together at the gate of King Pasenadi's palace, were making a loud noise, a great noise, saying: “There is a robber in your realm, sire, called Aṅgulimāla, a hunter, bloody-handed, bent on death and destruction, merciless to living creatures. Through him villages are depopulated and market towns are depopulated and country districts are depopulated. From his constant killing of people he wears a garland of fingers. Let the king drive him out.” Then King Pasenadi, with as many as five hundred horses, left Sāvatthī early in the morning and started for the monastery. Having gone by vehicle as far as the ground permitted, he dismounted from his vehicle and approached the Lord on foot; having approached, having greeted the Lord, he sat down at a respectful distance.

The Lord spoke thus to King Pasenadi as he was sitting down at a respectful distance: “What is it, sire? Is King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha angry with you, or the Licchavis of Vesālī, or some hostile king?” “Revered sir, it is not that King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha is angry with me, or the Licchavis of Vesālī, or any hostile king. There is a robber in my realm, revered sir, named Aṅgulimāla, a hunter, bloody-handed, bent on death and destruction, merciless to living creatures. Through him villages are depopulated and market towns are depopulated and country districts are depopulated. From his constant killing of people he wears a garland of fingers. I, revered sir, shall never drive him out.” “But if you, sire, were to see the robber Aṅgulimāla, having had his hair and beard cut off, having donned saffron robes, having gone forth from home into homelessness, refraining from onslaught on creatures, refraining from taking what has not been given, refraining from lying speech, a one-meal-man, a Brahma-farer, virtuous, of lovely character, what would you do to him?” “Revered sir, we would salute him or rise up before him or offer him a seat or invite him to the requisites of robe-material, almsfood, lodgings and medicines for the sick, or we would have a proper watch and ward and guard provided for him. But whence could there be, revered sir, such control in moral habit for one of bad morality, of evil character?”

Now at that time the venerable Aṅgulimāla was sitting near the Lord. Then the Lord, stretching out his right arm, spoke thus to King Pasenadi: “This, sire, is Aṅgulimāla.” Then King Pasenadi was afraid, alarmed and his hair stood on end. Then the Lord, knowing King Pasenadi's terror and agitation and that his hair was standing on end, spoke thus to King Pasenadi: “Do not be afraid, sire, do not be afraid, sire; you have no cause for fear here.” Then King Pasenadi's fear and alarm and the standing of his hair on end all abated.

Then King Pasenadi approached the venerable Aṅgulimāla; having approached, he spoke thus to the venerable Aṅgulimāla: “Revered sir, is the master really Aṅgulimāla?” “Yes, sire.” “Of what clan was the master's father? Of what clan his mother?” “Gagga was my father, sire, Mantāni my mother.” “Revered sir, let the master, the son of Gagga and Mantāni, be of good cheer. I will make an effort in the matter of the requisites of robe-material, almsfood, lodgings and medicines for the sick, or we would have a proper watch and ward and guard provided for the master, the son of Gagga and Mantāni.” Now at that time the venerable Aṅgulimāla was a forest-dweller, an almsman, a rag-robe wearer, one who wore the three robes. So the venerable Aṅgulimāla spoke thus to King Pasenadi: “No, sire, I am complete as to the three robes.”

Then King Pasenadi approached the Lord; having approached, having greeted the Lord, he sat down at a respectful distance. As he was sitting down at a respectful distance, King Pasenadi spoke thus to the Lord: “It is wonderful, revered sir, it is marvellous, revered sir, how this Lord, revered sir, tames the untamed, calms the uncalmed, helps to quell completely those that are not completely quelled. Him, revered sir, that I was unable to tame with stick and sword, the Lord has tamed without stick or sword. Well, I am going now, revered sir, I am very busy, there is much to be done.” “You do now, sire, that for which you deem it the right time.” Then King Pasenadi, rising from his seat, having greeted the Lord, departed keeping his right side towards him.

Then the venerable Aṅgulimāla, having dressed in the morning, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood. And as the venerable Aṅgulimāla was walking in Sāvatthī on an uninterrupted round for almsfood, he saw a woman in difficult and dangerous labour. On seeing her, it occurred to him: “Beings are indeed impure, beings are indeed impure.”

Then the venerable Aṅgulimāla, having walked in Sāvatthī for almsfood, on returning from the alms gathering after the meal, approached the Lord; having approached, having greeted the Lord, he sat down at a respectful distance. As he was sitting down at a respectful distance, the venerable Aṅgulimāla spoke thus to the Lord: “Now, I, revered sir, having dressed in the morning was walking in Sāvatthī on an uninterrupted round for almsfood, and saw a woman in difficult and dangerous labour. On seeing her, it occurred to me: “Beings are indeed impure, beings are indeed impure.” “Well then, do you, Aṅgulimāla, approach Sāvatthī; having approached, speak thus to that woman: ‘I, sister, am not aware of having intentionally deprived any living thing of life since I was born. By this truth may there be well-being for you, well-being for the unborn child.’” “But would not this be deliberate lying on my part, revered sir? For, revered sir, many living things have been intentionally deprived of life by me.” “Well then, do you, Aṅgulimāla, approach Sāvatthī; having approached, speak thus to that woman: ‘I, sister, am not aware of having intentionally deprived any living thing of life since I was born of the ariyan birth. By this truth may there be well-being for you, well-being for the unborn child.’” “Yes, revered sir,” and the venerable Aṅgulimāla, having answered the Lord in assent, approached Sāvatthī; having approached, he spoke thus to that woman: “I, sister, am not aware of having intentionally deprived any living thing of life since I was born of the ariyan birth. By this truth may there be well-being for you, well-being for the unborn child.’”

Then the venerable Aṅgulimāla, living alone, aloof, diligent, ardent, self-resolute, having soon realised here and now by his own super-knowledge that matchless goal of the Brahma-faring for the sake of which young men of family rightly go forth from home into homelessness, entering on it, abided in it. And he knew: Destroyed is birth, brought to a close the Brahma-faring, done is what was to be done, there is no more of being such or so. And so the venerable Aṅgulimāla was one of the perfected ones.

Then the venerable Aṅgulimāla, having dressed in the morning, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood. Now at that time a clod of earth thrown by one man fell on the venerable Aṅgulimāla, also a stick thrown by another and gravel thrown by a third. Then the venerable Aṅgulimāla, with a broken head streaming with blood, his bowl smashed, and his outer cloak in tatters, approached the Lord.

The Lord saw the venerable Aṅgulimāla coming in the distance; seeing him, he spoke thus to the venerable Aṅgulimāla: “Do you endure it, brahman do you endure it, brahman. You are experiencing here and now the ripening of that kamma through the ripening of which you would (otherwise) boil in Niraya Hell for many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years.”

Then the venerable Aṅgulimāla, as he was meditating in private, experienced the bliss of freedom, and at that time uttered this solemn utterance:

“He who formerly was slothful
but afterwards is diligent,
Illumines this world like
the moon when freed from a cloud.

He whose evilly done kamma
is closed by what is skilled,
Illumines this world like
the moon when freed from a cloud.

Indeed, he who, a young monk,
cleaves to the Awakened One's Dispensation
Illumines this world like
the moon when freed from a cloud.

Let my foes but hear talk on dhamma,
let my foes but cleave
to the Awakened One's Dispensation.
Let those men, my foes, but follow dhamma and,
calmed, only it will they accept.
Let my foes, from speakers on forbearance
and commenders of gentleness,
Hear dhamma from time to time
and act in conformity with it.

Such a one would not harm me
nor yet any other at all,
He would attain the uttermost peace
and guard those who have craving
and those who have none.

As ditchers lead the water,
as fletchers shape the shaft,
As joiners shape the timber,
so do the wise tame themselves.

Some are tamed by the stick, goads or whips;
I, without stick, without weapon,
was tamed by Him who is ‘Such’.

My name is ‘Harmless,’
though once I harmful was.
Today I am truly named,
for I harm no thing at all.

Once I was the notorious robber Aṅgulimāla;
Being swept away by the great flood,
I came to the Awakened One for refuge.
Once I was the notorious bloody-handed Aṅgulimāla,
O see my going for refuge,
becoming's cord removed!

Me who had wrought such kamma
as leads to many a woeful bourn,
When touched by the ripening of kamma,
debtless I enjoy an owner's state.

Fools, folk poor in wisdom,
pursue slothfulness;
A wise man guards diligence
as wealth supreme.

Pursue not slothfulness,
be not acquainted with sensual delights,
Meditating with diligence
one attains abundant joy.

Well was (my) coming,
there is no departing,
nor was I ill-advised.
Among various truths
that which I follow is supreme.

Well was (my) coming,
there is no departing,
nor was I ill-advised.
Won is the threefold knowledge,
done is the teaching of the Awakened One.”

Discourse with Aṅgulimāla: The Sixth