Aṅgulimālasutta

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Majjhima Nikāya 86

With Aṅgulimāla · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena rañño pasenadissa kosalassa vijite coro aṅgulimālo nāma hoti luddo lohitapāṇi hatapahate niviṭṭho adayāpanno pāṇabhūtesu.
Tena gāmāpi agāmā katā, nigamāpi anigamā katā, janapadāpi ajanapadā katā.
So manusse vadhitvā vadhitvā aṅgulīnaṁ mālaṁ dhāreti.

Now at that time in the realm of King Pasenadi of Kosala there was a bandit named Aṅgulimāla. He was violent, bloody-handed, a hardened killer, merciless to living beings. He laid waste to villages, towns, and countries. He was constantly murdering humans, and he wore their fingers as a necklace.

Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.
Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena coro aṅgulimālo tenaddhānamaggaṁ paṭipajji.
Addasāsuṁ kho gopālakā pasupālakā kassakā pathāvino bhagavantaṁ yena coro aṅgulimālo tenaddhānamaggapaṭipannaṁ.
Disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
“mā, samaṇa, etaṁ maggaṁ paṭipajji.
Etasmiṁ, samaṇa, magge coro 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.
Etañhi, samaṇa, maggaṁ dasapi purisā vīsampi purisā tiṁsampi purisā cattārīsampi purisā paññāsampi purisā saṅkaritvā saṅkaritvā paṭipajjanti.
Tepi corassa aṅgulimālassa hatthatthaṁ gacchantī”ti.
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā tuṇhībhūto agamāsi.
Dutiyampi kho gopālakā …pe…

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, he walked down the road that led to Aṅgulimāla. The cowherds, shepherds, farmers, and travelers saw him on the road, and said to him, “Don’t take this road, ascetic. On this road 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. People travel along this road only after banding closely together in groups of ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty. Still they meet their end by Aṅgulimāla’s hand.” But when they said this, the Buddha went on in silence. For a second time …

tatiyampi kho gopālakā pasupālakā kassakā pathāvino bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
“mā, samaṇa, etaṁ maggaṁ paṭipajji, etasmiṁ samaṇa magge coro 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.
Etañhi samaṇa maggaṁ dasapi purisā vīsampi purisā tiṁsampi purisā cattārīsampi purisā paññāsampi purisā saṅkaritvā saṅkaritvā paṭipajjanti.
Tepi corassa aṅgulimālassa hatthatthaṁ gacchantī”ti.

and a third time, they urged the Buddha to turn back.

Atha kho bhagavā tuṇhībhūto agamāsi.
Addasā kho coro aṅgulimālo bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.
Disvānassa etadahosi:
“acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho.
Imañhi maggaṁ dasapi purisā vīsampi purisā tiṁsampi purisā cattārīsampi purisā paññāsampi purisā saṅkaritvā saṅkaritvā paṭipajjanti.
Tepi mama hatthatthaṁ gacchanti.
Atha ca panāyaṁ samaṇo eko adutiyo pasayha maññe āgacchati.
Yannūnāhaṁ imaṁ samaṇaṁ jīvitā voropeyyan”ti.

But when they said this, the Buddha went on in silence. The bandit Aṅgulimāla saw the Buddha coming off in the distance, and thought, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! People travel along this road only after banding closely together in groups of ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty. Still they meet their end by my hand. But still this ascetic comes along alone and unaccompanied, like a conqueror. Why don’t I take his life?”

Atha kho coro aṅgulimālo asicammaṁ gahetvā dhanukalāpaṁ sannayhitvā bhagavantaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhi.
Atha kho bhagavā tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhāsi yathā coro aṅgulimālo bhagavantaṁ pakatiyā gacchantaṁ sabbathāmena gacchanto na sakkoti sampāpuṇituṁ.
Atha kho corassa aṅgulimālassa etadahosi:
“acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho.
Ahañhi pubbe hatthimpi dhāvantaṁ anupatitvā gaṇhāmi, assampi dhāvantaṁ anupatitvā gaṇhāmi, rathampi dhāvantaṁ anupatitvā gaṇhāmi, migampi dhāvantaṁ anupatitvā gaṇhāmi;
atha ca panāhaṁ imaṁ samaṇaṁ pakatiyā gacchantaṁ sabbathāmena gacchanto na sakkomi sampāpuṇitun”ti.
Ṭhitova bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“tiṭṭha, tiṭṭha, samaṇā”ti.
“Ṭhito ahaṁ, aṅgulimāla, tvañca tiṭṭhā”ti.
Atha kho corassa aṅgulimālassa etadahosi:
“ime kho samaṇā sakyaputtiyā saccavādino saccapaṭiññā.
Atha panāyaṁ samaṇo gacchaṁ yevāha:

Then Aṅgulimāla donned his sword and shield, fastened his bow and arrows, and followed behind the Buddha. But the Buddha used his psychic power to will that Aṅgulimāla could not catch up with him no matter how hard he tried, even though the Buddha kept walking at a normal speed. Then Aṅgulimāla thought, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! Previously, even when I’ve chased a speeding elephant, horse, chariot or deer, I’ve always caught up with them. But I can’t catch up with this ascetic no matter how hard I try, even though he’s walking at a normal speed.” He stood still and said, “Stop, stop, ascetic!” “I’ve stopped, Aṅgulimāla—now you stop.” Then Aṅgulimāla thought, “These ascetics who follow the Sakyan speak the truth. Yet while walking the ascetic says:

‘ṭhito ahaṁ, aṅgulimāla, tvañca tiṭṭhā’ti.
Yannūnāhaṁ imaṁ samaṇaṁ puccheyyan”ti.

‘I’ve stopped, Aṅgulimāla—now you stop.’ Why don’t I ask him about this?”

Atha kho coro aṅgulimālo bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
“Gacchaṁ vadesi samaṇa ṭhitomhi,
Mamañca brūsi ṭhitamaṭṭhitoti;
Pucchāmi taṁ samaṇa etamatthaṁ,
Kathaṁ ṭhito tvaṁ ahamaṭṭhitomhī”ti.
“Ṭhito ahaṁ aṅgulimāla sabbadā,
Sabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṁ;
Tuvañca pāṇesu asaññatosi,
Tasmā ṭhitohaṁ tuvamaṭṭhitosī”ti.
“Cirassaṁ vata me mahito mahesī,
Mahāvanaṁ pāpuṇi saccavādī;
Sohaṁ carissāmi pahāya pāpaṁ,
Sutvāna gāthaṁ tava dhammayuttaṁ”.
Itveva coro asimāvudhañca,
Sobbhe papāte narake akiri;
Avandi coro sugatassa pāde,
Tattheva naṁ pabbajjaṁ ayāci.
Buddho ca kho kāruṇiko mahesi,
Yo satthā lokassa sadevakassa;
“Tamehi bhikkhū”ti tadā avoca,
Eseva tassa ahu bhikkhubhāvoti.

Then he addressed the Buddha in verse: “While walking, ascetic, you say ‘I’ve stopped.’ And I have stopped, but you tell me I’ve not. I’m asking you this, ascetic: how is it you’ve stopped and I have not?” “Aṅgulimāla, I have forever stopped— I’ve laid aside violence toward all creatures. But you can’t stop yourself from harming living creatures; that’s why I’ve stopped, but you have not.” “Oh, at long last a renowned great seer, an ascetic has followed me into this deep wood. Now that I’ve heard your verse on Dhamma, I shall live without evil.” With these words, the bandit hurled his sword and weapons down a cliff into an abyss. He venerated the Holy One’s feet, and requested the going forth right away. Then the Buddha, the compassionate great seer, the Teacher of the world with its gods, said to him, “Come, monk!” And with that he became a monk.

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