This Artwork is a folktale depiction of Lord Buddha pacifying a Highway Robber, named Anguli Mala, who was known to murder traders & travelers as he wears sliced fingers as his necklace.
The main character of the story is actually the antagonist (the highway robber). His name is not actually Anguli Mala - his name was originally Ahimsa. Anguli Mala is a nickname - Angul means fingers, and Mala means necklace. It is a redemption arc of this individual who went through difficulties and traumas, became a criminal, and redeemed his character to attain enlightenment, but was met with a bittersweet ending.
Ahimsa was born to a Priestly Brahmin family in the ancient town of Sravasti (in modern-day Lucknow, Northern India). The town was located in the Ancient Kingdom of Koshal (a neighbouring kingdom to Buddha’s ancestral Shakya kingdom). Ahimsa was given a sound education during his childhood years. Due to his high achievement in his education - he was offered to be schooled at Taksha Shila University (the world's earliest recorded university - located in modern-day Taxila, Pakistan). Fun fact- it was this university that inspired Alexander the Great to build his own university of Alexandria, after his failed conquest into India.
When Ahimsa arrived and tutored in Taksha Shila, he showed intelligence and achievements that impressed the gurus (the teachers). They were so impressed that they all acknowledged his achievements and advised other students to follow Ahimsa. It made other students jealous to the point that they all wanted him expelled. They all came up with plans, and many tried & failed, until one day they struck Gold. They all gathered in the assembly, with the volume audible enough for the gurus to hear - all discussing how they should only learn from Ahimsa instead of the Gurus. It made the Principal of the university jealous. Over time, the jealousy of the Principal got the best of him. Then one day when Ahimsa was being tutored by another guru (the principal's wife) - they were so engrossed in a scripture they were studying that they forgot to acknowledge the presence of the Principal when he stepped into the room. The principal, although petty of him, officially sentenced the expulsion of Ahimsa. The wife begged him for mercy, but it was too late. Ahimsa had to pack his bag and leave back to his hometown.
Upon the arrival at his house, Ahimsa’s father was in disbelief that his own son (who was obedient, hardworking, intelligent and studious) could ever be expelled from Taksha Shila. The father assumed he was an imposter, pretending to be his own son Ahimsa, when it truly was him. The father barred Ahimsa from entering into the house, assuming he was an imposter. Ahimsa was now homeless and faceless in front of everybody. Ahimsa tried to look for a job in any place large & small – but all rejected him because of the confusion about how anyone could ever be expelled from a highly prestigious university. Ahimsa was deeply confused about how he was met with such loss for no apparent reason. Ahimsa finally burst into tears, hopeless. So he walked to another town called Patali Putra (in modern-day Patna, India). There is a highway bridging between Sravasti and Patali Putra, until he encountered an unexpected visitor…..
There he faced a highway robber who put a ransom on Ahimsa – either Ahimsa gives the robber all his possessions or he will die from the robber’s dagger. That was the moment that broke the camel’s back. Ahimsa immediately became furious, and his pent-up anger burst into flames. He overpowered the robber and put him in a chokehold. Then he got the Aha moment – that maybe he too should also be a highway robber. He let go of the robber and vowed to kill anyone as revenge for everybody who betrayed him. There on the same highway – he stopped every trader and traveler on their way and murdered them mercilessly. Over time, he developed an unusual habit of wearing sliced fingers as his own necklace. Everybody feared Ahimsa, now calling him “Anguli Mala” – the Sliced Finger necklace wearer! The news reached to the Kingdom of Koshal, and King Prasenjit ordered Mercenaries to capture Anguli Mala. Unfortunately, the mercenaries were met with casualties – which left King Prasenjit baffled. King Prasenjit had no other choice but to blockade all traders and travellers from entering the highway.
Over time, Anguli Mala noticed there were no visitors traveling along the highway, until one day, he noticed an elderly monk walking. It was none other than Lord Buddha himself. At that moment Anguli Mala immediate bolted after the monk. To his astonishment, Anguli Mala finds Buddha a step ahead of him. At last, he was exhausted by the chase, and finally shouted, “You monk! Stop moving!” Buddha replied, “I am not moving, I am at rest! It is you who is in perpetual motion with discontent.” Anguli Mala asked, “What do you mean?” Buddha responded, “You have yet to find peace of mind, my child.” Anguli Mala spoke to himself, “My child? You call me my child? You certainly cannot mean it!” Anguli Mala growled at Buddha, “Don’t you know who I am? I am Anguli Mala! I don’t want your preaching! I want your little fingers!” Buddha stretched his hands and calmly replied, “Take my hands, if it makes you happy, my son.” “Along with the fingers I will take your life!”, growled Anguli Mala. Yet Buddha’s reply was very calm, “By all means, take them, if it gives you peace of mind, my child.” Anguli Mala collapsed at the feet of Lord Buddha. Anguli Mala, the ruthless killer, sat on his knees begging for mercy, “I will never kill again!” Tears rolled on his cheeks. Buddha said, “Get up my child. You have suffered enough.” Buddha brought Anguli Mala to his monastery at Patali Putra, and asked his supervisor to take care of Anguli Mala.
Anguli Mala, shaved his head, took refuge to the Buddha, the Dharma & the Sangha, and became devoted to Lord Buddha’s teachings. Every day he listened to Buddha’s sermons, nursed the sick and the elderly and took care of children in the monastery. One day when Anguli Mala went to beg for his food as a monk, a boy came out and offered him some rice. Anguli Mala said, “You are so generous! May you, your mother and your father be blessed.” The boy said, “I have no father. He was killed by the wicked Anguli Mala!” Anguli Mala couldn’t say a word. He just murmured. Sick at heart, Anguli Mala walked back to his monastery. He had no peace, and spent many sleepless nights dreaming of the children who became fatherless due to him. Buddha noticed Anguli Mala’s extreme depression. He called Anguli Mala and asked, “Why are you sad, my son?” “Guruji, these hands of mine are still stained with blood. I am a sinner without a future hope.”, remorsefully said Anguli Mala. Buddha said, “Repentance is the only fire that is capable of burning sins already committed. You are on the right path.” “Bless me, guruji. I hope to gain peace of mind.”, said Anguli Mala. But he continued to suffer internally and his supervisor discussed with Buddha.
One day, Buddha took Anguli Mala with him, on his route to a temple. As they trekked along a highway, they heard a voice from behind a tree seeking help. As they went near, they saw an old woman assisting her daughter in giving birth. The daughter was seriously ill and in labour. Anguli Mala requested Buddha to alleviate their pain, through his blessings. Buddha said, “You save this woman by offering your sincere repentance of your past deeds.” With much reluctance, Anguli Mala prayed before the sick woman, “I repent for killing people out of my ignorance. If this is true, let this woman get well.” Afterwards, the monks resumed their journey. Suddenly they heard the old woman screaming, “Wait! Please wait!” Anguli Mala feared the worst has happened. However, the old woman appeared with a newborn baby. “Oh the pious one!” said the old woman. “You blessed my daughter and saved her life. Now please bless this little baby.” The master and the disciple proceeded to bless the child. When the woman left, Buddha said, “Anguli Mala, are you now convinced that you overcome your past deeds?” “Son, you no longer need me. You can now walk alone.”, blessed Buddha to Anguli Mala.
Anguli Mala decided to then head back to his hometown of Sravasti. As he entered the city, everybody identified him. They thought that it is Anguli Mala’s new trick. They all ran and shouted in a frenzy, “Anguli Mala is coming! Anguli Mala is coming!” But some of the young ones gathered courage to fight. They saw Anguli Mala taking alms from the child. Anguli Mala was indifferent to the child, and adored him out of love. As soon as Anguli Mala stepped out of the house, he was stoned, stomped, stabbed, bruised, gouged and gashed by the mob holding multiple weapons at their disposal. Anguli Mala did not raise his fingers and did not fight back to protect himself. Once the mob left him to wither to his death, he calmly crawled dragging himself all the way back to Patali Putra to the monastery. Buddha received his presence and clamly placed Anguli Mala’s head on his lap, and asked, “Do you feel better now, my child?” “Never before have I felt better than I do now, guruji.”, replied Anguli Mala. “Are you at rest now, my child?”, asked Buddha. “Yes father, I am at peace with the world.”, said Anguli Mala, with his last breath before he passed away. Buddha later said in his sermon the next day, “Anguli Mala was a great soul. He conquered vice, cruelty and anger. He has attained Nirvarna”.