ANGULIMALA

Once there lived in the forest a most terrible robber who killed many people. He would collect a finger or two from his victims and string them into a necklace around his neck. He was therefore called Angulimala or the garland of fingers.

One day just before Angulimala was about to kill his own mother as his 1000 th victim, The Buddha entered into that forest. Angulimala decided to kill the Buddha instead. But no matter how fast he ran he got no closer to The Buddha. Finally he asked The Buddha to stop.

Angulimala A Buddhist Hymn From The Wayfarers Sung By Bro. Victor Wee

Stop Thee! Oh saffron princely monk Who hastens on like falling rain

I want a finger from Thy foot To finish off my bloody chain

Do good. Avoid evil. Purify the mind

Stop Thee! Oh saffron princely monk Who hastens on like falling rain

I want a finger from Thy foot To finish off my bloody chain

I do not run You run instead Please stop awhile And follow Me

Angulimala, I’m not content To know that thou are not yet free

Please throw that bloody chain aside There is a better, nobler Way

To live thy life and reach that Truth Angulimala, for you today

So great was The Buddha’s compassion and wisdom that there remained only one thing Angulimala wanted to do To give up his evil ways and follow The Buddha’s Teachings Therefore he threw away his necklace, bowed on his knees and begged to be The Buddha’s disciple

And hours went by the Indian time While Buddha’s sinless Way he heard

And sinner changed to blessed saint And preached he out the hallowed word

Angulimala “ Even a ‘sinner’ can become a saint” The End May You Be Well And Happy! With Metta, Bro. Oh Teik Bin