The Conclusion of Angulimala Story

Continued from The Story of Angulimala (Part 2)...

So what do you think? Did Angulimala get away with murder? Is it fair for his victims that he walks free? Is it right that after killing a thousand people his only payback is a few head wounds - because he had become enlightened? Do his minor injuries balance the scales of justice against a thousand murders and grieving relatives? 

Let's bring it a little closer to home. Think back to some horrible, cruel murder that mad the headlines in recent years. If the guilty person were suddenly to announce: "I am now enlightened. I should not be punished or imprisoned any longer to repay my pas bad deeds." Would we agree to let the killer go scot-free?

Even if we suppose it was actually true, that the killer had indeed become enlightened, would that change our minds? Or would we think something along the lines of congratulations for your spiritual progress, but your victims are still dead, so you must continue to sit in prison. Imagine further that the victims were our friends or relatives. Surely we would not tolerate to have the killer walk free, enlightened or not. So how to reconcile the story of Angulimala? If bad begets bad, what happened to all of that bad karma? 

The big question was basically this: How do our personal actions and intentions come back to affect us? It seems like a key question.  The answer might be answered if we study more about Karma, about cause and effect. So, I will left these question for you to find out these answer. You can find the answer through this blog. Believe or not, it's depend on you. Buddhism teach not to believe but let you consider by yourself.

Reference : Karma for today's traveler by Phra Bhasakorn Bhavilai with David Freyer, nustoon

The Story of Angulimala (Part 2)

Continued from The Story of Angulimala (Part 1)...

Angulimala began to chase the Buddha. But then something strange happened - even though the Buddha was only walking calmly and unhurriedly, and Angulimala was running with all his might, he still couldn't catch the Buddha. Finally in exasperation Angulimala screamed at the Buddha to stop.

Still walking serenely the Buddha calmly said,

"I have stopped but you haven't."

This confused and enraged Angulimala even more and he screamed again for the Buddha to stop and explain what he meant. At this point the Buddha stopped, turned to Angulimala and said that he had already stopped. He had stopped killing and harming other living beings and it was time now for Angulimala to do likewise. These words struck Angulimala with such force that he dropped his weapons, followed the Buddha back to his monastery and became a monk.

Not knowing that the killer was now a monk, the pious king came with his troops to pay respect to the Buddha before heading into the forest to find Angulimala. The Buddha asked the king what his reaction would be if he learned that the infamous killer was now a monk in this very monastery. The king, unable even to imagine such a vile, murderous beast as a monk and follower of the Buddha, answered that if it was indeed true, he would pardon him of his crimes and pay him the respect due a monk. The buddha then pointed and said there sit Angulimala.

Once the king overcame his shock and fear, he kept his word, paid respect to the new monk and said to the Buddha,

"What we had tried to do by force and with weapons, you have done with neither."

Shortly thereafter, following the Buddha's teaching, the former mass murderer Angulimala became an Arahant, that is to say, he attained enlightenment.

Then for some time, when the enlightened Angulimala would walk near the local people, stray rocks and sticks, thrown by villagers, would strike hime in the head injuring him, can causing him to bleed. It is said that these 'accidental' injuries were from his karma coming back to him, from his past actions as a mass murderer.

Read the conclusion in The Conclusion of Angulimala Story...

Reference book: Karma for today's traveler by Phra Bhasakorn Bhavilai with David Freyer

The Story of Angulimala (Part 1)

During the time of the Buddha there was a brilliant student from a wealthy family called Ahimsaka. The other students were jealous of him and eventually managed to turn his teacher (The teacher was not a follower of the Buddha) against him. As a result, in order to get rid of him, his teacher made the outrageous demand that to receive the high teaching that he desired, Ahimsaka must first kill one thousand people!

Amazingly, Ahimsaka did not at this point give up, but he continued to trust his teacher, trusting that this shocking demand must somehow be for the overall good. So he set out to complete his task. Ahimsaka became a murderer, lurking in a forest and killing people.

But keeping count of so many victims is difficult, especially as his murderous action filled his mind with hatred and delusion. So finally, to stay organized and keep track of his progress, he began to cut off the little fingers of his victims, and strung them in a grue some growing garland which he wore aaround his neck. This earned him the infamous nick-name Augulimala, which means finger garland.

One fateful day, when he had 999 fingers around his neck, there was a convergence of events. The local king, tired of the murderer in the forest, organized his troops to sweep their forest and put an end to Angulimala. At the same time, Angulimala's mother realized that it was her son who was the terrible killer. Yet despite the fact that he was a mass murderer, her motherly love compelled her to go into the forest to warn him about the king.

Angulimala, his mind twisted by his murderous deeds, failed to recognize his own mother and was preparing to kill her to complete his tally when the Buddha intervened.

The Buddha positioned himself between Angulimala and his mother, and Angulimala shifted targets, and began to chase the Buddha.....

Continued in The Story of Angulimala(Part 2)...

Reference book: Karma for today's traveler by Phra Bhasakorn Bhavilai with David Freyer

Start passing the Dhamma Forward

Because in the world, there are only two part; the world around you and the world inside you. Dhamma, the Buddha's teaching, is the truth in the world emphasize on the world inside you. Dhamma make you understand the world by telling you the nature of the things start from you. It's because you are one who know yourself best. Dhamma itself is the nature.If you know Dhamma, you know everything.

Reading the Dhamma will make you better understand the world. Passing Dhamma Forward will also make the world understand the world better. Just like "Pay it Forward" concept, you forward to 3 people, it will then forward to the world. Start Passing Dhamma Forward today to change the world.

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