The concept of justice is imbued within the human being to sublimate the thirst for revenge produced after reacting to a strongly aversive situation. Justice needs guilt, as if there were. To be guilty, freedom is necessary and we know that it is nothing more than an illusion created by the manipulation of brain times, freedom is the ignorance of introspection.
In Samsara everything reacts as it can react, the rule of conditionality is as simple as it is implacable. Actions provoke other actions in an ocean as perfectly regulated as unpredictable due to its immense complexity. Nothing that happens is isolated, nothing comes from nothing and nothing stops having its consequences.
But the consequences, the kamma, is not justice.
No bad action remains unpunished, but the consequences appear when the circumstances occur for them to appear, they do not necessarily happen in the short term and for the short term we refer to a punctual life. We beings are packages of conditions that produce more conditions according to their own mechanics.
Being tied to Samsara no matter how good you go is dangerous, too much. Our potential to suffer terrible consequences is incalculable, and no situation is definitive or stable.
We present two apparently opposite cases, that of the serial killer Aṅgulimāla and the master of the Buddha Āḷāra Kālāma. In principle, seeing both of us would say that the worst would be the murderer and, nevertheless, it was not like that.
The fate of Aṅgulimāla would be marked, but it broke with him, destroyed him, ended his existence, arrived at the arahantado, which did not prevent him from suffering immediate consequences of his bad behavior.
On the other hand, Āḷāra Kālāma teacher in the sphere of nothingness due to the attachment to that sphere secured two things, being reborn in it and after its dissolution fall into hell.
Who’d say?
Being good is not good. And the best thing that someone very bad can do is escape their sentence by leaving Samsara.
Being good is only good in the short term. And if you look further, no.
Aṅgulimāla was a thief and murderer who was converted by the Buddha in the twentieth year of his ministry, and who later became an arahant. As a result of their works, whole towns were deserted, and the king ordered a detachment of men to seize the bandit. Aṅgulimāla was converted by the power of the Buddha.Later, the Buddha presented him to King Pasenadi when he arrived at Jetavana, and Pasenadi, full of astonishment, offered to provide the monk with all the requisites. Aṅgulimāla, however, had taken the dhutangas and rejected the king’s offer.
When he entered Sāvatthī to beg for alms, he was attacked by the crowd, but in Buddha’s warning, he endured his anger as penance for his former actions.
He relieved the pains of childbirth of a woman by an act of truth.
Pasenadi addresses him as Gagga Mantānīputta, and his father is a Gagga.
Collection of Medium Length Discourses MN 86. With Aṅgulimāla
So I heard. On one occasion, the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, the Anāthapiṇḍika monastery. Now at that time in the kingdom of King Pasenadi of Kosala there was a bandit named Aṅgulimāla. He was violent, with bloody hands, a hardened assassin, ruthless of living beings. It destroyed towns, cities and countries. He was constantly killing people, and he used his fingers like a necklace.Then, the Buddha dressed in the morning and, taking his bowl and his robe, entered Sāvatthī to ask for alms. Then, after the meal, on his return from the alms, he ordered his lodging and, taking his bowl and robe, walked down the road that led to Aṅgulimāla. The shepherds, shepherds, farmers and travelers saw him on the road and said, «Do not take this road, ascetic. On this road there is a bandit named Aṅgulimāla. He is violent, bloody, a hardened murderer, ruthless of living beings.He has ravaged towns, cities and countries. He is constantly killing people, and he uses his fingers like a necklace. People travel on this road only after grouping into groups of ten, twenty, thirty, forty or fifty. Even so, they find their end by the hand of Aṅgulimāla. «But when they said this, the Buddha continued in silence.
For the second time … and for the third time, they urged the Buddha to return.
But when they said this, the Buddha continued in silence. The bandit Aṅgulimāla saw the Buddha move away in the distance and thought: «It’s incredible, it’s incredible! People travel on this road only after grouping into groups of ten, twenty, thirty, forty or fifty. They still meet their end by my hand. But, even so, this ascetic appears alone and without company, as if he had already defeated me. Why do not I take his life?
Then Aṅgulimāla put on his sword and shield, closed the bow and arrows and followed the Buddha. Then the Buddha used his psychic power to wish that Aṅgulimāla could not reach him, no matter how hard he tried, although the Buddha kept walking at a normal speed. Then Aṅgulimāla thought: «It’s incredible, it’s incredible! Previously, even when I chased an elephant, horse, cart or deer at full speed, I have always reached them. But I can not catch up with this ascetic, no matter how hard he tries, even though he walks at a normal speed. « He stood still and said: «Stop, stop, ascetic! «I stopped, Aṅgulimāla, you stop.» Then Aṅgulimāla thought: «These Sakyan ascetics are telling the truth. However, while walking, the ascetic Gotama says: «I stopped, Aṅgulimāla, now you stop». Why do not I ask about this?
Then he addressed the Buddha in verse:
«As you walk, ascetic, you say ‘I stopped’. And I stopped, but you tell me no. I’m asking you this, ascetic: How is it that you have stopped and I have not? «
«Aṅgulimāla, I have always stopped … I have rejected violence towards all creatures. But you are uncontrolled towards living creatures; that’s why I stopped, but you do not. «
«Oh, finally an ascetic, A great sage whom I honor has entered this great forest. Now that I have heard your verses about the Dhamma, I will live without evil. «
With these words, the bandit threw down his sword and his weapons. for a cliff in an abyss.
He worshiped the feet of the Saint, and asked for the exit there.
Then the Buddha, the great compassionate sage, the master of the world with his gods.
He said: «Come, monk!»
And with that he became a monk.
Then, the Buddha addressed Sāvatthī with the Venerable Aṅgulimāla as his second monk. Traveling stage by stage, he arrived at Sāvatthī, where he stayed in the Jeta Grove, the Anāthapiṇḍika monastery. Now, at that moment, a crowd had gathered outside King Pasenadi’s royal compound making a terrible scam: «In your kingdom, Your Majesty, there is a bandit named Aṅgulimāla. He is violent, bloody, a hardened murderer, ruthless of living beings. He has ravaged towns, cities and countries. He is constantly killing people, and he uses his fingers like a necklace.Your Majesty must put an end to it!
Then, King Pasenadi left Sāvatthī in the middle of the day with about five hundred horses, heading towards the monastery. It was in a carriage as far as the land allowed, then it descended and approached the Buddha on foot. He leaned over and sat down to the side. The Buddha said to him: «What is this, great king? Is King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha angry with you, or the Licchavis of Vesālī, or some other ruler in opposition? «
«No sir. In my kingdom there is a bandit named Aṅgulimāla. He is violent, bloody, a hardened murderer, ruthless of living beings. … I’ll put an end to him.
«But great king, suppose you saw that Aṅgulimāla had shaved his hair and his beard, dressed in ocher clothes, and had gone from lay life to homelessness. And that he was refraining from killing living creatures, stealing and lying; I was eating in a part of the day, and I was celibate, ethical, and of good character. What would you do to him? «I would bow to him, he would lift me in his presence or offer him a seat. I would invite him to accept robes, alms, lodgings, medicines and supplies for the sick. And I would take care of your legal protection. But sir, how could such an immoral and evil man ever have such virtue and moderation?
Now, at that moment Venerable Aṅgulimāla was sitting not far from Buddha. Then the Buddha pointed with his right arm and said to the king: «Great king, this is Aṅgulimāla.»
Then the king was frightened, scared, with hair on his feet. Knowing this, the Buddha said to him: «Do not be afraid, great king. You have nothing to fear from him. « Then the king’s fear subsided. Then the king approached Aṅgulimāla and said: «Lord, is it really the venerable Aṅgulimāla?» «Yes, great king.» «What clans were your father and your mother?»
«May the venerable Gagga Mantāṇīputta be happy. I will make sure that they are provided with robes, alms, lodging, medicines and supplies for the sick. «
Now, at that moment, the Venerable Aṅgulimāla lived in the desert, ate only alms food and possessed only three robes. He told the king: «Enough, great king. My clothes are complete. « Then the king returned to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to the side and said: «It’s incredible, sir, it’s incredible! How the Buddha dominates the savages, appeases the violent and extinguishes those who are not! Because I could not tame him with the rod and the sword, but the Buddha domesticated him without a rod or sword. Well, now, sir, I must go. I have many duties and a lot to do. «» Please, great king, go at your convenience. « Then King Pasenadi rose from his seat, bowed and respectfully surrounded the Buddha, keeping him to his right, before leaving.
Then the venerable Aṅgulimāla dressed in a robe in the morning and, taking his bowl and his robe, entered Sāvatthī to beg. Then, as he wandered indiscriminately through alms food, he saw a woman in a painful obstructed labor. Seeing this, it occurred to him: «Oh, beings suffer so much filth! Oh, the beings suffer so much filth! «After wandering through the alms in Sāvatthī, after the meal, on his return from the alms, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to the side and told him what had happened. The Buddha told him:
«Well, then, Aṅgulimāla, go with that woman and tell her:» Since I was born, sister, I do not remember taking the life of a living creature deliberately. For this truth, that both you and your baby are safe. «
«But sir, would not that be a deliberate lie? Because I have deliberately killed many living creatures. «» In that case, Aulgulimāla, go with that woman and say this: «Since I was born in the noble birth, sister, I do not remember having deliberately taken the life of a living creature. For this truth, that both you and your baby are safe. «
«Yes, sir,» Aṅgulimāla replied. He approached this woman and said: «Since I was born in the noble birth, sister, I do not remember having deliberately taken the life of a living being. For this truth, that both you and your baby are safe. « Then that woman was safe, and so was her baby.
Then Aṅgulimāla, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, sharp and resolute, soon realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own vision the goal by which people of good families rightfully pass from lay life to homelessness. He understood: «The rebirth is over; the spiritual journey has been completed; What had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence. « And the Venerable Aṅgulimāla became one of the perfected ones.
Then the venerable Aṅgulimāla dressed in a robe in the morning and, taking his bowl and his robe, entered Sāvatthī to beg. Now, at that moment, someone threw a stone that hit Aulgulimāla, someone else threw a stick and someone else threw gravel. Then Aṅgulimāla, with a broken head, bleeding, with the bowl broken and the outer robe broken, went to the Buddha. The Buddha saw him go away in the distance and said: «Hold it, brahmin! Hold it, brahmin! You are experiencing in this life the result of events that could have tormented you in hell for many years, many hundreds or thousands of years. « Later, the Venerable Aṅgulimāla was experiencing the bliss of liberation in a private retreat. On that occasion he pronounced these words of inspiration:
«Someone who had previously been careless, and then it is not, light up the world, Like the moon released from a cloud.
Someone who, with skilful deeds, close the door to the bad things they have done, light up the world, Like the moon released from a cloud.
A young mendicant, Dedicated to the teaching of the Buddha. light up the world, Like the moon released from a cloud.
May even my enemies listen to a talk of Dhamma! May even my enemies dedicate themselves to the teaching of the Buddha! That even my enemies join with these good people that others establish in the Dhamma!
That even my enemies listen to the Dhamma at the right time, of those who talk about acceptance, praising the acquiescence; and follow that path!
By then surely they would not want any harm. about me or about others. Protecting the firm and fragile creatures, they would reach the final peace.
For the irrigators they guide the water, and archers straighten arrows; carpenters mold wood- But the cunning ones are tamed. Some domesticated using the rod, Some with spikes, and others with whips. But the balanced tamed me Without rod or sword.
My name is «Harmless», although it used to be harmful. The name that I have today is true, because I do not hurt anyone.
I used to be a bandit, The notorious Aṅgulimāla. Dragged by a great flood, I went to Buda as a refuge.
I used to have blood on my hands, The notorious Aṅgulimāla. See the shelter I found- The attachment to rebirth is eradicated.
I have done many of the types of facts that lead to a bad destiny. The result of my actions has already hit me, So I enjoy my food free of debt.
Fools and unintelligent people. They are dedicated to negligence. But intelligent diligence protects as your best treasure.
Do not engage in negligence, or delight in sexual intimacy. Because if you are diligent and practice absorption, You will achieve abundant happiness.
It was welcome, not inconvenient, The advice I received was good. From lessons that are shared, I found the best ones.
It was welcome, not inconvenient, The advice I received was good. I have reached all three knowledge and he fulfilled the instructions of the Buddha. «
Āḷāra Kālāma was one of the two masters to whom Gotama, after his resignation, joined for the first time, the other being Uddaka Rāmaputta. In the Ariyaparivesāna Sutta the Buddha describes his visit to Āḷāra. Gotama quickly mastered his doctrine and was able to repeat it by heart; but feeling certain that Āḷāra not only knew the doctrine, but had realized it, he approached him and asked him about it. Āḷāra then proclaimed the Ākiñcaññāyatana, and Gotama, by deploying energy and concentration higher than Āḷāra, became master of that state. Āḷāra recognized the eminence of his student and treated him as an equal, but Gotama, not having succeeded in his search, said farewell to Āḷāra to go elsewhere. When, after practicing austerities for six years, the Buddha attained Enlightenment and granted Sahampati the request to preach the doctrine, it was in the Āḷāra that he thought he was the most apt to listen to the teaching. But Āḷāra had died seven days before.
Collection of Medium Length Discourses MN 100. With Saṅgārava
Before my awakening, when I was not yet awake, but with the intention of waking up, I thought: «Living in a house is narrow and dirty, but the life of a person who is going out is very open.» It is not easy for someone who lives at home to lead the spiritual life completely full and pure, like a polished shell. Why do not I shave my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes and leave the life of the laity to the lack of housing? ‘Some time later, although I still have black hair, blessed with youth, in the best moment of life, although Mother and father wanted the opposite, crying with tearful faces: I shaved my hair and beard, I dressed in clothes ocher and I left the lay life to the lack of housing. Once I left I began to discover what is skillful, seeking the supreme state of sublime peace. I approached Āḷāra Kālāma and said, «Reverend Kālāma, I wish to live the spiritual life in this teaching and training.»Āḷāra Kālāma replied: «Stay, venerable. This teaching is such that a sensible person can soon realize the doctrine of his own teacher with his own perception and live having achieved it. « I quickly memorized that teaching. With regard to lip recital and oral recitation, I spoke with knowledge and the authority of the elders. I affirmed to know and to see, and others also. Then it occurred to me: «It is not by mere faith that Āḷāra Kālāma declares:» I understand this teaching with my own perception, and I live having achieved it. « Surely he meditates knowing and seeing this teaching. «
So I approached Āḷāra Kālāma and said, «Reverend Kālāma, to what extent do you say that you have realized this teaching with your own perception?» When I said this, he declared the dimension of nothingness. Then it occurred to me: «Not only Āḷāra Kālāma has faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion and wisdom; I have these things too. Why do I not make an effort to realize the same teaching that Alāra Kālāma says he has realized with his own perception? »I quickly realized that the teaching had my own vision and I lived having achieved it. So I approached Āḷāra Kālāma and said to him: ‘Reverend Kālāma, have you realized this teaching with your own perception up to this point and declare that you have achieved it?’ ‘I’ve done it, reverendo’. « I have also noticed this teaching. with my own vision up to this point, and I live having achieved it «. We are fortunate, reverend, very fortunate to see a venerable like you as one of our spiritual companions! Then, the teaching that I have made with my own perception and that I declare having achieved it, has been realized with its own understanding and that life has reached it. The teaching that you have realized with your own vision, and the life having achieved it, I have understood it with my own vision and I declare that I have attained it. So the teaching that I know, you know, and the teaching that you know, I know. I am like you and you are like me. Come now, reverend! We must both lead this community together. « And that is how my teacher Āḷāra Kālāma placed me, her student, in the same position as him, and honored me with high praise. Then it occurred to me: «This teaching does not lead to disappointment, detachment, cessation, peace, perception, awakening and extinction. It only leads to rebirth in the dimension of nothingness.»When I realized that this teaching was inadequate, I was disappointed.
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