Toh 213The Sūtra for the Benefit of Aṅgulimāla
Pāli / Sanskrit:Aṅgulimālīyasūtra
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The Sutra for Nurturing Aṅgulimāla
Background
The Sutra for Nurturing Aṅgulimāla (Aṅgulimālīyasūtra) is an important work in the Mahāyāna tradition, preserved in the Kangyur, the Tibetan collection of the Sutra Basket. This sutra is classified among the Mahāyāna sutras and deeply reflects the theory of the bodhisattva path and the Buddha’s skillful means of liberation (upāya).
Aṅgulimāla is an actual figure in Buddhist history, a notorious murderer who caused widespread terror and fear in the kingdom of Kosala. His story is recorded in many sutra collections, but The Sutra for Nurturing Aṅgulimāla (Toh 213) focuses on the aspect of the blessed transformation that the Buddha brought about for this murderer, while revealing the boundless power of the true Dharma and the compassionate mind of the Buddha.
In the context of the Northern Mahāyāna canon, this sutra is regarded as testimony to the power of the Buddha-Dharma to transform even the darkest minds. It is not only a historical record, but also a guide to practice for practitioners who understand that no one is excluded from the path to awakening.
Main Content
The sutra recounts how the Buddha entered the villages where Aṅgulimāla had caused the people to live in fear. With bodhisattva compassion and transcendent wisdom (prajnaparamita), the Buddha directly encountered this murderer. Through a sacred dialogue, Aṅgulimāla gradually recognized the impermanence (anitya), suffering (dukkha), and selflessness (anātman) of all things.
The wondrous point is that Aṅgulimāla did not merely escape evil karmic consequence as a crude form of punishment, but was led into the noble path. Aṅgulimāla’s barbers, the signs of his sins, became symbols for the refinement of consciousness. This sutra emphasizes that the Buddha-Dharma has the capacity for profound transformation, making a defiled mind become clear, wise, pure, and peaceful.
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