Angulimala was a notorious and terrifying bandit who lived in the Jalini forest in ancient India. His name, which means “garland of fingers,” was given to him because he had taken a vow to kill a thousand people and wore a necklace made of the fingers of his victims. He had killed nine hundred and ninety-nine people and needed just one more to complete his vow.
The Buddha, seeing through his meditation that Angulimala was ready to be saved from his path of violence, decided to walk into the Jalini forest. The villagers begged him not to go, warning him of the ruthless killer. But the Buddha walked on peacefully.
When Angulimala saw the Buddha, he drew his sword and ran after him. The Buddha continued to walk at a slow, deliberate pace. No matter how fast Angulimala ran, he could not catch up to the peaceful monk. Exhausted and frustrated, Angulimala finally shouted, “Stop, monk! Stop!”
The Buddha turned around and said calmly, “I have already stopped, Angulimala. It is you who must stop.”
Confused, the bandit asked, “What do you mean? You were walking, and I was running, yet you say you have stopped and I have not.”
The Buddha replied, “I have stopped committing violence against all living beings. I have found peace. But you are still running, driven by anger, hatred, and ignorance. You have not stopped.”
Hearing these words, the dark cloud of delusion lifted from Angulimala’s mind. Overwhelmed by the Buddha’s compassion and profound peace, he threw his weapons away and fell to his knees. “Lord, please accept me as your disciple,” he wept.
Angulimala became a monk and, despite the immense difficulties he faced due to his past karma, he practiced diligently and eventually achieved enlightenment.
The Lesson
No matter how deeply a person has fallen into darkness, the capacity for profound transformation and awakening is always present. Compassion is stronger than violence.
नेपाली अनुवाद
अंगुलिमाल प्राचीन भारतको जालिनी जंगलमा बस्ने एक कुख्यात र डरलाग्दो डाँकु थिए। उनको नामको अर्थ “औंलाहरूको माला” हो, जुन उनलाई दिइएको थियो किनभने उनले एक हजार मानिसहरूलाई मार्ने कसम खाएका थिए र आफ्ना पीडितहरूको औंलाहरूको माला लगाउँथे। उनले नौ सय उनान्सय मानिसहरूलाई मारिसकेका थिए र आफ्नो कसम पूरा गर्न केवल एक जना मात्र बाँकी थियो।
बुद्धले आफ्नो ध्यानमार्फत अंगुलिमाल हिंसाको बाटोबाट मुक्त हुन तयार भएको देखेपछि जालिनी जंगलमा जाने निर्णय गरे। गाउँलेहरूले उनलाई त्यो क्रुर हत्याराको बारेमा चेतावनी दिँदै नजान बिन्ती गरे। तर बुद्ध शान्तिपूर्वक अघि बढे।
जब अंगुलिमालले बुद्धलाई देखे, उनले आफ्नो तरवार निकाले र उनको पछि दौडे। बुद्ध ढिलो, शान्त गतिमा हिंडिरहे। अंगुलिमाल जतिसुकै छिटो दौडे पनि, उनले ती शान्त भिक्षुलाई भेट्टाउन सकेनन्। थकित र निराश हुँदै, अंगुलिमालले अन्ततः कराए, “पर्ख भिक्षु! पर्ख!”
बुद्ध फर्के र शान्त स्वरमा भने, “म त पहिल्यै रोकिसकें, अंगुलिमाल। अब तिमी नै रोकिनुपर्छ।”
अलमलमा परेका डाँकुले सोधे, “तिम्रो मतलब के हो? तिमी हिंडिरहेका थियौ, र म दौडिरहेको थिएँ, तैपनि तिमी भन्छौ कि तिमी रोकिसक्यौ र म रोकिएको छैन।”
बुद्धले जवाफ दिए, “मैले सबै जीवित प्राणीहरूमाथि हिंसा गर्न छोडिसकेको छु। मैले शान्ति पाएको छु। तर तिमी अझै दौडिरहेका छौ, क्रोध, घृणा, र अज्ञानताबाट धकेलिइरहेका छौ। तिमी रोकिएका छैनौ।”
यी शब्दहरू सुन्दा, अंगुलिमालको दिमागबाट भ्रमको कालो बादल हट्यो। बुद्धको करुणा र गहिरो शान्तिबाट प्रभावित भई, उनले आफ्ना हतियारहरू फ्याँके र घुँडा टेके। “भगवान्, कृपया मलाई तपाईंको शिष्यको रूपमा स्वीकार गर्नुहोस्,” उनी रोए।
अंगुलिमाल एक भिक्षु बने र आफ्नो विगतको कर्मको कारणले गर्दा ठूलो कठिनाइहरूको सामना गरे पनि, उनले लगनशीलताका साथ अभ्यास गरे र अन्ततः ज्ञान (निर्वाण) प्राप्त गरे।
शिक्षा
कोही मानिस जतिसुकै गहिरो अन्धकारमा फसेको भए पनि, गहिरो रूपान्तरण र जागरणको क्षमता सधैं उपस्थित हुन्छ। करुणा हिंसा भन्दा बलियो छ।