Superphysics
Angulimala Goes Out
4 minutes • 754 words
Early in the morning, Ven. Angulimala put on his robes and carrying his outer robe & bowl, went into Savatthi for alms.
As he was going from house to house for alms, he saw a woman suffering a breech birth. On seeing her, the thought occurred to him:
How tormented are living beings!
After completing his alms round after his meal, he went to the Buddha.
As I was going from house to house for alms, I saw a woman suffering a breech birth. I thought: ‘How tormented are living beings!
In that case, Angulimala, go to that woman and on arrival say to her, ‘Sister, since I was born I do not recall intentionally killing a living being. Through this truth may there be wellbeing for you, wellbeing for your fetus.’
But, lord, wouldn’t that be a lie for me? I have intentionally killed many living beings
Then in that case, Angulimala, go to that woman and on arrival say to her, ‘Sister, since I was born in the noble birth, I do not recall intentionally killing a living being. Through this truth may there be wellbeing for you, wellbeing for your fetus.’[2]
And there was wellbeing for the woman, wellbeing for her fetus.
Then Ven. Angulimala quickly reached & remained in the supreme goal of the holy life after dwelling alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute.
He knew: “Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.”
Thus Ven. Angulimala became another one of the arahants.
One morning, he went again into Savatthi for alms.
People threw things at Ven. Angulimala.
This broke the head of Ven. Angulimala. It dripped with blood.
His bowl was broken, and his outer robe was ripped to shreds. He went to the Buddha.
The Buddha saw him coming from afar and on seeing him said to him:
Bear with it, brahman! Bear with it!
The fruit of the kamma that would have burned you in hell for many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, you are now experiencing in the here-&-now! [3]
Then Ven. Angulimala, having gone alone into seclusion, experienced the bliss of release. At that time he exclaimed:
Who once was heedless,[4] but later is not, brightens the world like the moon set free from a cloud.
His evil-done deed[5] is replaced with skillfulness: he brightens the world like the moon set free from a cloud.
Whatever young monk devotes himself to the Buddha’s bidding: he brightens the world like the moon set free from a cloud.
May even my enemies hear talk of the Dhamma.
May even my enemies devote themselves to the Buddha’s bidding.
May even my enemies associate with those people who — peaceful, good — get others to accept the Dhamma.
May even my enemies hear the Dhamma time & again from those who advise endurance, forbearance, who praise non-opposition, and may they follow it.
For surely he wouldn’t harm me, or anyone else; he would attain the foremost peace, would protect the feeble & firm.
Irrigators guide the water.[6] Fletchers shape the arrow shaft. Carpenters shape the wood. The wise control themselves.
Some tame with a blunt stick, with hooks, & with whips But without blunt or bladed weapons I was tamed by the one who is Such.
“Doer of No Harm” is my name, but I used to be a doer of harm. Today I am true to my name, for I harm no one at all.
A bandit I used to be, renowned as Angulimala. Swept along by a great flood, I went to the Buddha as refuge.
Bloody-handed I used to be, renowned as Angulimala. See my going for refuge! Uprooted is [craving], the guide to becoming.
Having done the type of kamma that would lead to many bad destinations, touched by the fruit of [that] kamma, unindebted, I eat my food. [7]
They’re addicted to heedlessness[8] — dullards, fools — while one who is wise cherishes heedfulness as his highest wealth.
Don’t give way to heedlessness[9] or to intimacy with sensual delight — for a heedful person, absorbed in jhana, attains an abundant bliss.
This[10] has come well & not gone away, it was not badly thought through for me. From among well-analyzed qualities, I have obtained the best.
This has come well & not gone away, it was not badly thought through for me.
The three knowledges have been attained; the Buddha’s bidding, done.
