The Story of Angulimala

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (422) of this book, with reference to Thera Angulimala.

On one occasion, King Pasenadi and Queen Mallika made an alms-offering to the Buddha and his bhikkhus numbering five hundred in all, on a scale which could not be surpassed by anyone else. At that ceremony, each bhikkhu was to have an elephant holding a white umbrella over his head as a sunshade. However, they could get only four hundred and ninety-nine trained elephants and so they had to put in an untrained elephant and it was allotted to hold the umbrella over Thera Angulimala. Every one was afraid that the untrained elephant might give trouble, but when brought near Thera Angulimala it was quite docile.

It was with reference to this incident that the bhikkhus later asked Angulimala whether he did not get frightened or not. To this question Angulimala answered that he was not frightened. The bhikkhus then went to the Buddha and said that Thera Angulimala claimed to have attained arahatship. To them the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus! It is quite true that Angulimala was not afraid; those who are like him are also not afraid."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 422: Him I call a brahmana, who is fearless like a bull, who is noble and diligent, who is a seeker of high moral virtues and a conqueror (of three Maras), who is free from craving, who has been cleansed of moral defilements and knows the Four Noble Truths.