At that time in King Pasenadi Kosala’s realm in ancient India,  there lived a man whose name echoed with fear,  Angulimala, who wore a garland (Mala) made of the fingers (Anguli) of the people he killed.   He was brutal, devoted to killing and slaying, and showed no mercy to living beings.  He turned villages into non-villages, towns into non-towns. He killed nine hundred nighty nine people and was hoping to kill one more as a homage to his teacher. 

Once, Angulimala had been his teacher’s favorite student at the monastery because he was a bright, handsome, intelligent and well-behaved gentleman. His real name was Ahimsaka, meaning “the harmless one.” But jealousy and manipulation by other students  poisoned his teacher’s mind against him. The teacher, blinded by lies, cruelly sends  Ahimsaka on a deadly mission, to kill a thousand human beings as his homage to him. The teacher's purpose was to destroy Ahimsaka, thinking he would die in the process. The teacher couldn’t kill Ahimsaka directly, because killing a student was not favorable to his reputation. That’s why he demanded Ahimsaka to do the impossible. 

Ahimsaka loved his master and was so obedient. He couldn’t ignore his teachers' demand. To get the teacher's approval as he completed his studies he must do what his master said. 

Ahimsaka’s mind broke under the weight of deceit. What began as obedience turned into obsession. Even though Ahimsaka was gentle by nature, physically he was very strong.  And soon, the young scholar became the most feared killer in the kingdom.

He roamed the forests, slaying travellers passing through the roads, wearing their fingers as trophies around his neck, to count the number of his killings. When the people start to avoid roads, he enters villages and drags people from their homes to kill them. He did not take money or jewellery from his victims, but only their fingers. The villages become completely abandoned. 

Villagers petitioned the king of Kosala, who vowed to hunt down Angulimala. He sent an army of 500 soldiers to hunt down Aṅgulimāla. Hearing this, Angulimala’s mother, Mantaani went to meet her son, thinking she could change him. Angulimala had killed nine hundred nighty nine people and was targeting one more to kill. 

The compassionate Lord Buddha perceives through divine eye, that Aṅgulimāla has slain 999 (almost 1000) victims, and is desperately seeking a thousandth. Angulimala has fulfilled virtues in the samsara to attain arhatship and this will be his last life if the Buddha encountered Aṅgulimāla that day.  However, If the great compassionate Lord Buddha have not interfered on time, Aṅgulimāla is to kill his mother instead, he will be unsavable, since matricide in Buddhism is considered one of the five worst actions a person can commit. He'll end up in the worst hell (Avichi) to suffer for a very long time after his death. 

The supreme Lord Buddha visited the area where Angulimala was waiting, despite being warned by local villagers not to go. First Angulimala saw his mother, thinking to make her his last victim. Then he saw the Buddha walking calmly through the forest and thought, “This will be my final kill.” He draws his sword and starts running towards the Buddha. But although Aṅgulimāla is running as fast as he can, he cannot catch up with the Buddha who is walking calmly.

The Lord Buddha was using a supernatural power that affects Angulimala.  Angulimala, consumed by rage, ran harder, faster, with all his strength.  But the Buddha continued walking, serene and unhurried. Angulimala couldn’t reach Lord Buddha no matter how quickly he moved, he stopped running exhausted, breathless and confused, he screamed, 

“Stop, monk! Stop, or I will kill you!”

 “Stop, monk! Don’t move another step!”

The Buddha continued walking gently and said,

“Angulimala, I have stopped. It is you who has not stopped.”

Aṅgulimāla asks for further explanation, “Lord, what do you mean? How have you stopped while I have not?”

The Buddha’s eyes were full of compassion. “I have stopped forever from harming any living being. But you, Angulimala, you are still driven by anger, hatred, and delusion. Stop these, and you too will find peace.”

Those words hit him like thunder in silence. The man who had outrun everyone, who had been killed without mercy, suddenly realized he had never stopped running. He fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. Angulimala threw away his sword and his garland. He bowed before the Buddha and said,

“Teach me, Master. Teach me how to stop.”

The Lord Buddha accepted Angulimala into the Buddhist Monastic order. The killer became a monk. Angulimala  is admitted to the Jethavana monastery.

Meanwhile king Pasenadi Kosala visited the Supreme Lord Buddha to get his blessings before setting out to catch Angulimala. The Compassionate Lord Buddha asked King Kosala, what if Angulimala had given his life as a killer and became a monk in the buddhist order, how would the king respond. The king says that he would bow to him and offer to provide for him in his monastic vocation. The Buddha then reveals that Aṅgulimāla is sitting only a few feet away, his hair and beard shaven off, a member of the Buddhist order. The king bowed to Angulimala and offered to donate robe materials to Aṅgulimāla. Aṅgulimāla, however, does not accept the gift, because of an ascetic practice  he observes. In the end, the king chooses not to persecute Aṅgulimāla

During his time as a monk, Angulimala  walked barefoot through villages for alms, the same places where his name once brought terror. People fearfully ran from him and closed their doors. He could not get even a spoonful of food or a ladle of gruel during his alms-round. Few resentful people who couldn't forget that he was responsible for the deaths of their loved ones, threw stones at him, attacked him with sticks, and shouted curses.  With a bleeding head, torn outer robe and a broken alms bowl, Aṅgulimāla manages to return to the monastery.

The lord buddha advises him to bear the torment with equanimity. The Lord Buddha  indicates that Aṅgulimāla is experiencing the fruits of the karma that would otherwise have condemned him to hell. Following the advice of the lord buddha, Angulimala remained silent, enduring the pain with humility. He never retaliated, never complained, he simply walked on, reciting verses of peace, seeking alms in the same villages that once feared him.

One day, Bhikkhu Anguimala performed an act of truth, following the guidance of the Lord Buddha, to ease the pain of a lady during her child delivery.  This is what he said to the woman, “Sister, since I was born with the noble birth, I have never purposely deprived a living being of life. By this truth may you and the infant be safe!'”  After that, the woman safely delivered her child and Bhikku Angulimala’s reputation improved. Many people respected him and did not fear him. There was also no lack of support when he went on alms-round. 

Finally he attained arahantship, the complete enlightenment and he was reckoned among the eighty eminent arahants as well. His heart, once filled with hatred, now overflowed with compassion. His earlier name, Ahimsaka, the “Harmless one”, fully befitted him. 

Aṅgulimāla a symbol of spiritual transformation, and his story a lesson for all of us that everyone can change their life for the better, no matter how far they’ve (we've) fallen.

Author - Yashodha Jayalath 

MSc in Food Science & Technology, PGIA University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. 

BSc in Health Promotion, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka.

Pg Dip in Psychological Counselling & Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychological Studies Sri Lanka. 

Associate Member of Sri Lanka National Institute of Professional Counsellors, Registration number 2015/1526