Jataka Tale: The Story of Gautam Buddha and Angulimala. Read Famous Hindi Stories at subkuz.com!
The Famous Jataka Tale: Gautam Buddha and Angulimala
A ruthless bandit ruled the forests of Magadha. He killed those he attacked, severing each victim's finger to string it into a garland around his neck. This earned him the name Angulimala. His terror spread throughout the villages surrounding Magadha. One day, the great Buddha arrived in a village near that forest. Everyone warmly welcomed him, recognizing him as a saint. After staying for a while, the Buddha sensed a strange unease among the villagers. He asked, "Why are you all so frightened and apprehensive?"
They explained, one by one, about the killings and mutilations by Angulimala. They mourned, stating that anyone venturing into the forest was seized and killed. The bandit had already murdered ninety-nine people, severing their fingers to form his garland. The villagers feared to pass near the forest because of Angulimala’s terror. Having heard their woes, the Buddha decided to venture into the forest himself. As he set out, the villagers warned, "It's treacherous in there. He spares no one. Please find a way to save us from him without entering the forest."
Despite their pleas, the Buddha continued towards the forest. Soon, he reached the forest. Angulimala, seeing a solitary figure in the saintly guise of a monk, was utterly surprised. He mused that villagers hesitated, approached in fear, and never ventured alone into the forest. This monk, however, ventured alone and fearlessly. A thought crossed Angulimala's mind: "I'll finish him off, sever his fingers, and complete my vow of killing a hundred." "Halt! Where are you going?" cried Angulimala.
The Buddha ignored him. Angulimala, enraged, shouted again, "Stop!" The Buddha turned, facing the formidable figure with his garland of severed fingers, towering eyes, and formidable posture. Angulimala, his weapon drawn, lunged at the Buddha. But the Buddha remained unmoved. Despite Angulimala's relentless pursuit, the Buddha remained steadfast. Exhausted from relentless pursuit, Angulimala called out, "Stop! Or I will kill you, and add your finger to my garland of ninety-nine, thus completing my vow of a hundred." The Buddha replied, "If you consider yourself so mighty, then fetch some leaves and branches from the tree."
Angulimala, sensing the Buddha's resolve, thought to himself, "I'll do as he says." He gathered leaves and branches and brought them to the Buddha. The Buddha then said, "Now, return them to the tree." Angulimala responded, "You are a foolish holy man; you don't understand that severed items cannot be reattached." The Buddha replied, "I'm showing you that you lack the power to rejoin what you've broken, just as you lack the right to sever what you cannot restore. You have no capacity to create life, therefore, you have no right to take it away."
Angulimala's weapon fell from his hand. The Buddha said, "You tell me to stop, but I have been motionless all this time, while you have been restless. You are the one who is unstable." Angulimala countered, "I am standing still; how can I be unstable? You have been walking this whole time." The Buddha responded, "I am stable by forgiving others, whereas you are unstable because you have been driven by killing and fleeing."
Seeing the truth in the Buddha's words, Angulimala realized his error. He cried out, "From now on, I will abandon my evil ways." He fell at the Buddha's feet, weeping. That day, Angulimala renounced his wicked path and became a renowned ascetic.
The lesson of this story is: With proper guidance, one can abandon evil and embrace goodness.
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