Aṅgulimālasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 86

With Aṅgulimāla · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā aṅgulimālena pacchāsamaṇena yena sāvatthi tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi.
Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena sāvatthi tadavasari.
Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Then the Buddha set out for Sāvatthī with Venerable Aṅgulimāla as his second monk. Traveling stage by stage, he arrived at Sāvatthī, where he stayed in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena rañño pasenadissa kosalassa antepuradvāre mahājanakāyo sannipatitvā uccāsaddo mahāsaddo hoti:
“coro te, deva, vijite aṅgulimālo nāma luddo lohitapāṇi hatapahate niviṭṭho adayāpanno pāṇabhūtesu.
Tena gāmāpi agāmā katā, nigamāpi anigamā katā, janapadāpi ajanapadā katā.
So manusse vadhitvā vadhitvā aṅgulīnaṁ mālaṁ dhāreti.
Taṁ devo paṭisedhetū”ti.

Now at that time a crowd had gathered by the gate of King Pasenadi’s royal compound making a colossal racket, “In your realm, Your Majesty, there is a bandit named Aṅgulimāla. He is violent, bloody-handed, a hardened killer, merciless to living beings. He has laid waste to villages, towns, and countries. He is constantly murdering humans, and he wears their fingers as a necklace. Your Majesty must put a stop to him!”

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo pañcamattehi assasatehi sāvatthiyā nikkhami divā divassa.
Yena ārāmo tena pāvisi.
Yāvatikā yānassa bhūmi yānena gantvā yānā paccorohitvā pattikova yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
“kiṁ nu te, mahārāja, rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro kupito vesālikā vā licchavī aññe vā paṭirājāno”ti?

Then King Pasenadi drove out from Sāvatthī in the middle of the day with around five hundred horses, heading for the monastery. He went by carriage as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and approached the Buddha on foot. He bowed and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him, “What is it, Great King? Is King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha angry with you, or the Licchavis of Vesālī, or some other opposing ruler?”

“Na kho me, bhante, rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro kupito, nāpi vesālikā licchavī, nāpi aññe paṭirājāno.
Coro me, bhante, vijite aṅgulimālo nāma luddo lohitapāṇi hatapahate niviṭṭho adayāpanno pāṇabhūtesu.
Tena gāmāpi agāmā katā, nigamāpi anigamā katā, janapadāpi ajanapadā katā.
So manusse vadhitvā vadhitvā aṅgulīnaṁ mālaṁ dhāreti.
Tāhaṁ, bhante, paṭisedhissāmī”ti.

“No, sir. In my realm there is a bandit named Aṅgulimāla. He is violent, bloody-handed, a hardened killer, merciless to living beings. … I shall put a stop to him.”

“Sace pana tvaṁ, mahārāja, aṅgulimālaṁ passeyyāsi kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitaṁ, virataṁ pāṇātipātā, virataṁ adinnādānā, virataṁ musāvādā, ekabhattikaṁ, brahmacāriṁ, sīlavantaṁ, kalyāṇadhammaṁ, kinti naṁ kareyyāsī”ti?
“Abhivādeyyāma vā, bhante, paccuṭṭheyyāma vā āsanena vā nimanteyyāma, abhinimanteyyāma vā naṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārehi, dhammikaṁ vā assa rakkhāvaraṇaguttiṁ saṁvidaheyyāma.
Kuto panassa, bhante, dussīlassa pāpadhammassa evarūpo sīlasaṁyamo bhavissatī”ti?

“But, Great King, suppose you were to see that Aṅgulimāla had shaved off his hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and gone forth from the lay life to homelessness. And that he was refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and lying; that he was eating in one part of the day, and was chaste, ethical, and of good character. What would you do to him?” “I would bow to him, rise in his presence, or offer him a seat. I’d invite him to accept robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And I’d organize his lawful guarding and protection. But sir, how could such an immoral, evil man ever have such virtue and restraint?”

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā aṅgulimālo bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti.
Atha kho bhagavā dakkhiṇaṁ bāhuṁ paggahetvā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ etadavoca:
“eso, mahārāja, aṅgulimālo”ti.
Atha kho rañño pasenadissa kosalassa ahudeva bhayaṁ, ahu chambhitattaṁ, ahu lomahaṁso.
Atha kho bhagavā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhītaṁ saṁviggaṁ lomahaṭṭhajātaṁ viditvā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ etadavoca:
“mā bhāyi, mahārāja, natthi te ito bhayan”ti.
Atha kho rañño pasenadissa kosalassa yaṁ ahosi bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā so paṭippassambhi.
Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yenāyasmā aṅgulimālo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ aṅgulimālaṁ etadavoca:
“ayyo no, bhante, aṅgulimālo”ti?
“Evaṁ, mahārājā”ti.
“Kathaṅgotto ayyassa pitā, kathaṅgottā mātā”ti?
“Gaggo kho, mahārāja, pitā, mantāṇī mātā”ti.

Now at that time Venerable Aṅgulimāla was sitting not far from the Buddha. Then the Buddha pointed with his right arm and said to the king, “Great king, this is Aṅgulimāla.” Then the king became frightened, scared, his hair standing on end. Knowing this, the Buddha said to him, “Do not fear, Great King. You have nothing to fear from him.” Then the king’s fear died down. Then the king went over to Aṅgulimāla and said, “Sir, is the master really Aṅgulimāla?” “Yes, Great King.” “What clans were your father and mother from?” “My father was a Gagga, and my mother a Mantāṇī.”

“Abhiramatu, bhante, ayyo gaggo mantāṇiputto.
Ahamayyassa gaggassa mantāṇiputtassa ussukkaṁ karissāmi cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānan”ti.

“Sir, may Master Gagga son of Mantāṇī be happy. I’ll make sure that you’re provided with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.”

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā aṅgulimālo āraññiko hoti piṇḍapātiko paṁsukūliko tecīvariko.
Atha kho āyasmā aṅgulimālo rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ etadavoca:
“alaṁ, mahārāja, paripuṇṇaṁ me cīvaran”ti.
Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.
Yāvañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavā adantānaṁ dametā, asantānaṁ sametā, aparinibbutānaṁ parinibbāpetā.
Yañhi mayaṁ, bhante, nāsakkhimhā daṇḍenapi satthenapi dametuṁ so bhagavatā adaṇḍena asattheneva danto.
Handa ca dāni mayaṁ, bhante, gacchāma;
bahukiccā mayaṁ bahukaraṇīyā”ti.
“Yassadāni, mahārāja, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.
Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

But at that time Venerable Aṅgulimāla lived in the wilderness, ate only almsfood, and owned just three robes. So he said to the king, “Enough, Great King. My robes are complete.” Then the king went back to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! How the Buddha tames those who are wild, pacifies those who are violent, and extinguishes those who are unquenched! For I was not able to tame him with the rod and the sword, but the Buddha tamed him without rod or sword. Well, now, sir, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.” “Please, Great King, go at your convenience.” Then King Pasenadi rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

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