[527] The Blessed One said this to King Pasenadi of Kosala as he sat to one side: "What is it, great king? Is King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha angry with you, or the Licchavis of Vesālī, or other rival kings?"
"Venerable sir, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha is not angry with me, nor are the Licchavis of Vesālī, nor other rival kings. But, venerable sir, in my realm there is a bandit named Aṅgulimāla — cruel, bloody-handed, given over to killing and slaughter, merciless toward living beings. By him villages have been made villages no more, towns made towns no more, and districts made districts no more. Slaying human beings again and again, he wears a garland of their fingers. Venerable sir, I shall suppress him."
"But, great king, if you were to see Aṅgulimāla with hair and beard shaved off, clothed in ochre robes, gone forth from the home life into homelessness — abstaining from killing living beings, abstaining from taking what is not given, abstaining from false speech, eating one meal a day, living the holy life (brahmacārī), virtuous, of good character — what would you do to him?"
"Venerable sir, we would pay homage to him, or rise up for him, or invite him to a seat; or we would invite him to accept robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick; or we would arrange lawful guarding, shelter, and protection for him. But, venerable sir, how could such virtue and restraint ever belong to one who is immoral, of evil character?"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.