There are good people and there are bad ones.
It might seem curious the fact that bad people, very bad, have it much easier to light up than good people. And this is evident, but to see it we have to go back to the whole of existence, that is, of all lives.
Merit, being kind, kind, generous, compassionate, kind generates merit that can be seen in this life and in the following. Good people do not usually generate bad actions so they are not affected by them, and although some good actions have negative consequences, if they are good people it is because it compensates them.Good people do not live badly.
However, the bad ones, and the more bad the better, they spend doing bad actions that NECESSARILY bring negative consequences in this life without going any further. The bad guys lead lives so bad that they do not live well.
Doing good or evil, from the point of view of the whole of existence, which are innumerable lives is totally indifferent, they continue on the wheel of Samsara enjoying merit or suffering for demerit. It is the same, they are going around and around. They are slaves of the Mara as much as others. So where is the difference?
Obviously in the possibility of escaping Samsara through the annihilation of existence and the end of kamma. From this perspective, who has a real interest in escaping from Samsara, who lives well or who lives badly?
The question is answered by itself.
The good ones are relatively comfortable in their situation and the effort they provide is in line with that motivation; However, the bad guys do not think about it: they want to leave as soon as possible and whatever. Also, if they do, all their evils will be settled because they can not have consequences in other lives because they will not have more lives.
I like to remember Angulimala, the terrible murderer who collected the fingers of his victims in a necklace around his neck. Aṅgulimāla attained the arahantado, not without paying in this life the consequences of his evil deeds.
Ananda was the opposite, kind, helpful, he went out of his way to tend to the Buddha. He did not achieve anything
But for a clearer case, that of Moggallana, one of the two best disciples of the Buddha, much better endowed than if friend Sariputta, in psychic powers.Moggallana is the example of the perfect disciple. He managed the arahantado in addition very soon. But do you remember who was Moggallana in his past life?
The very Mara.
If you do not know how this business of Samsara works, it might seem shocking, but no. It is like that. It is easier for the Devil to be enlightened than for the best and sweetest and most helpful of the people who were always beside the Buddha, his assistant.
So do not ask me why I like to give talks to convicts: the answer is here. With the bad ones, time is not lost. With the good ones, nothing else is done. The bad guys are grateful and the good guys are arrogant.
Sad? No. This is how the kamma works.
Collection of Medium Length Discourses MN 86. With Aṅgulimāla
So I’ve heard. On one occasion, the Buddha was staying close to Sāvatthī in the Jeta 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 by alms. Then, after the meal, upon 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 the 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, even though the Buddha kept walking at a normal speed. Then Aṅgulimāla thought: «It’s incredible, it’s incredible! Previously, even when I have 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 I try, even though he’s walking at a normal speed. « He stood still and said: «Stop, stop, ascetic! «I stopped, Aṅgulimāla, now you stop.» Then Aṅgulimāla thought: «These Sakyan ascetics speak 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 am 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 can not avoid damaging living beings; that’s why I stopped, but you do not. «
«Oh, finally a hermit, 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 him to leave right away.
Then the Buddha, the great compassionate hermit, 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 by the door of 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 Vesāli, 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 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 one part of the day, 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, lodging, 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 the 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, he got scared, with his 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?» «My father was a Gagga and my mother a Mantāṇī.»
«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, only ate alms and only had three tunics. 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 by alms. 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, upon 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, Aṅgulimāla, 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 by alms. Now, at that moment, someone threw a stone that hit Aṅgulimāla, someone else threw a stick and another 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 him, 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 was inspired to exclaim:
«Someone who was previously 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 hear a talk of Dhamma! May even my enemies devote themselves to the teaching of the Buddha! Even my enemies can associate 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. Having reached the final peace, They would take care of the firm and fragile creatures.
For the irrigators they guide the water, and archers straighten arrows; the carpenters carve the wood- But the cunning ones are tamed.
Some domesticated using the rod, Some with picks, 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 Buddha 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 works 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 indulge in negligence, or delight in sexual intimacy. Because if you are diligent and practice absorption, You will achieve abundant happiness.
It was welcome, not inopportune, The advice I received was good. Of lessons that are shared, I found the best ones.
It was welcome, not inopportune, The advice I received was good. I have reached the three knowledge and he fulfilled the instructions of the Buddha. «
Collection of Medium Length Discourses MN 50. Speech on a rebuke to Māra
Thus I have heard: once, the venerable Moggallāna the Great stayed among the Bhaggas in Sumsumāragira in the Bhesakaḷā grove in the deer park. Now, at that moment, the venerable Moggallāna the Great was walking up and down in the open air. Now, at that moment, Māra the Evil One, entering the venerable womb of Moggallāna the Great, got into his stomach. Then it occurred to the venerable Moggallāna the Great: «Now why my belly is heavy as if it were crowded?» Then, the venerable Moggallāna the Great, having come down from the place to walk from one place to another, to have entered the House. Place, sat in a seat ready. While sitting, the venerable Moggallāna the Great thought carefully about himself. Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great saw that Māra the Evil One, having entered his belly, had entered his stomach; When he saw him, he spoke to Māra the evil one:
«Go, the evil one; Evil, go; do not bother a Tathāgata, nor a disciple of Tathāgata, lest there be pain and pain for you for a long time. «
Then it occurred to Māra the evil one: «This prisoner speaks like that, not even knowing me, not even seeing me:» Go away, Evil, Evil, go away. Do not bother a Tathāgata or the disciple of Tathāgata, lest for a long time there be grief and sorrow for you. « Even his teacher could not know me so fast, so how can this disciple know me? «
Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great spoke thus to Māra the evil one: «But I know you, the evil one. Do not think: «He does not know me». You, the evil one, are Māra. It occurred to you, Evil One: «This inmate speaks, therefore, she does not even know, she does not even see me:» Go away, Evil, Evil, come out. Do not bother a Tathāgata or the disciple of Tathāgata, lest for a long time there be grief and sorrow for you. « Even his teacher could not know me so fast, so how can this disciple know me? «
Then to Māra the evil one came to him: «It is because this prisoner knows and sees me that she speaks thus:» Come out, the evil one, the evil one, come out. Do not bother a Tathāgata or a disciple of Tathāgata, lest for a long time there be grief and sorrow for you. « Then, Māra the Evil One, having left by the mouth of venerable Moggallāna the Great, was against the door.
Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great saw Māra the Evil One standing against the door; Seeing him, he spoke thus to Māra the evil one: «In fact, now I see you, the evil one. Do not think: ‘He does not see me’; it’s you, the evil one, standing against the door. Once upon a time, I, the Evil One, was the Māra called Dūsin; As such, Kāḷi was the name of my sister, you were her son, and you were my nephew.Now, in that moment, the Evil One, Kakusandha, the Lord, the perfect one, fully awake, had risen in the world. Now, the evil one, Vidhura and Sañjīva were the couple of disciples who was the boss, the lucky couple of Kakusandha, the Lord, the perfected, the fully awake. Of all the disciples, the evil one, of Kakusandha, the Lord, perfected, fully awake, there was none equal to the venerable Vidhura with respect to the teaching of Dhamma. It was because of this, the evil one, that the venerable Vidhura became Vidhura, the Unmatched. But the venerable Sañjīva, the Evil One, disappeared into the forest, went to the roots of the trees and went to empty places, without any problem he managed to stop the perception and feeling.
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