Angulimal

When Angulimal the bandit saw Lord Buddha coming along the road, he was very happy. He said, "Now I have a victim. I'll kill you and cut off your fingers to add to my collection." Buddha replied, "Brother, you may kill me. I won't stop you, but first break off one leaf from the tree and give it to me." Angulimal reached up and broke off the whole branch, and gave it to Buddha saying, "Here, take it. I have fulfilled your last request." Buddha took one leaf and said, "Listen, I asked for only one leaf, and I've taken it, so put this branch back on the tree." Angulimal replied, "I can hardly stick the branch back on the tree." So Buddha explained, "If you can't put it back, then what right did you have to break it in the first place? I only asked for a single leaf." Angulimal was disturbed by this. He had never heard anything like it. All he had ever heard was "might is right." So when Buddha said to him, "If you can't give anything to anyone, what right do you have to take from them," his ideas completely changed and he surrendered to Buddha asking him for shelter. And that murderer became a monk. So we should think about this. We can easily hurt someone, but then so can a lion or a bull, so if we act like this we are no better than animals. In other words, if we can't give love, what right do we have to torment others? The enlightened souls gave this advice: once you have received love, spread it around; if you are honoured, then honour others. If you have received Knowledge, spread it to others.
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