The Buddha and the Terrorist

Peace activist and spiritual thinker Kumar retells a story from the Buddhist scriptures to show that there is a better way to defuse terror than "meeting fire with fire." The Buddha meets up with a man who has been terrorizing the countryside. Named Angulimala for his horrific practice of wearing a necklace of severed fingers, the killer is stunned by the Buddha's willingness to listen to his story. Born into a low and much-despised caste, Angulimala has turned misery into murderous rage. Transformed by the Buddha's teaching that compassion, not vengeance, is the way to battle injustice, Angulimala becomes a monk known as Ahimsaka (the Nonviolent One). Now the king and the victims' loved ones must decide whether to execute the former terrorist for his crimes or recognize that he has repented and become a force for good. Introduced by Thomas Moore, this classic Buddhist tale seems a simple offering in the face of today's rampant terrorism, but nonetheless it presents a crucial alternative to the unending cycle of bloodshed and retaliation. Donna Seaman, © American Library Association. All rights reserved