The Law of Karma in Buddhism
Part VII the Man Who Executed the Bandits with the Red Beard
He Executed Numerous Prisoners, Yet After Death He Was Reborn in the Tusita Heaven
The Law of Karma
This is the story of Tambadāṭhika, the executioner known as the “Red-Bearded Executioner,” who served the king as an executioner. Throughout his entire working life, he carried out executions of prisoners who had been sentenced to death.
After reaching retirement age and leaving government service, he performed a wholesome deed by offering food to Venerable Sāriputta, who had just emerged from meditative attainment (samāpatti) and had come to his house on his alms round.
Because of the great merit arising from offering food to a noble monk who had just emerged from meditative attainment, when Tambadāṭhika died, he was not reborn in hell despite having killed many people during his career. Instead, he was reborn in Tusita Heaven.
This was because, shortly before his death, his mind was directed toward the wholesome deed he had performed—offering food to Venerable Sāriputta—and he had developed anuloma-ñāṇa, the insight knowledge that conforms to the path of realization.
The Story According to the Dhammapada Commentary
The Venerable Buddhaghosa relates this story in the commentary to the Dhammapada.
At the time, the Buddha was residing at Jetavana Monastery. He told this Dhamma story concerning Tambadāṭhika, the executioner, beginning with the verse:
“Sahassampi ce vācā…”
At that time, Tambadāṭhika, the executioner of bandits, had served as a royal executioner for fifty-five years, putting condemned prisoners to death.
Eventually, he retired from government service.
One day, after instructing his household to prepare some rice gruel mixed with milk, he went to the river to bathe. After bathing, he returned home intending to eat the specially prepared meal.
As he was about to eat, Venerable Sāriputta, who had just emerged from meditative attainment, arrived at the door of Tambadāṭhika's house while going on his alms round.
When Tambadāṭhika saw the Elder standing at his doorway, his heart became filled with faith and reverence.
He thought:
“For a long time I have been involved in killing and have caused many people to die. Now there is rice gruel prepared with milk in my house, and this venerable Elder is standing at my door. I should offer this food to him.”
Having made this decision, he respectfully invited Venerable Sāriputta into his house, offered him a seat, and presented the rice gruel with great respect.
After the Elder had finished his meal, he began teaching the Dhamma to Tambadāṭhika.
However, Tambadāṭhika was unable to follow the flow of the Elder's teaching because his mind was occupied with memories of his past life as an executioner.
Seeing this, Venerable Sāriputta used a skillful method to help him.
The Elder asked him:
“Did you execute those criminals because you personally wanted to kill them, or were you ordered by someone else to do so?”
Tambadāṭhika replied that he had received orders from the king to execute the criminals and that he had not personally wished to kill them.
Venerable Sāriputta then asked:
“Lay disciple, if that is so, what unwholesome karma (akusala) would there be for you?”
Tambadāṭhika then concluded for himself:
“If I was merely carrying out the king's orders, then the unwholesome karma does not belong to me.”
Having gained peace of mind, he asked the Elder to continue teaching the Dhamma.
As he listened attentively, his mind gradually approached the stream of Sotāpatti-magga, the Path leading to Stream-entry.
When Venerable Sāriputta had finished teaching, he departed.
Tambadāṭhika followed the Elder for some distance in order to see him off.
While he was returning home, he was suddenly attacked and killed by a cow that had been possessed by a female yakkha.
The Question of the Monks
Afterward, the monks were discussing the matter in the Dhamma Hall.
They said:
“The executioner of bandits committed extremely harsh deeds for fifty-five years. Today he was freed from that occupation. Today he also offered food to the Elder. And today he died. Where has he been reborn?”
The monks wondered how a man who had spent fifty-five years executing prisoners could possibly receive a favorable rebirth.
The Buddha Explains the Result of His Karma
The Buddha then explained to the monks that although Tambadāṭhika had accumulated unwholesome karma throughout much of his life, after listening to the Dhamma from Venerable Sāriputta, he had gained insight and developed anuloma-ñāṇa before his death.
Because of the wholesome state of his mind at the time of death, he was reborn in Tusita Heaven.
The monks were astonished and wondered how this could happen.
The Buddha therefore said:
“Monks, do not measure the Dhamma I have taught merely by whether it is short or long, little or much. Even a single meaningful word is truly excellent.”
The Buddha then recited Dhammapada Verse 100:
Sahassampi ce vācā
anatthapadasaṃhitā
ekaṃ atthapadaṃ seyyo
yaṃ sutvā upasammati.
Its meaning is:
Though a thousand words may be spoken,
if they contain no words of benefit,
one single meaningful word is better—
a word which, when heard, brings peace.
When the Buddha had finished teaching the Dhamma, many people attained the various stages of the Noble Path, beginning with Sotāpatti-phala, the Fruit of Stream-entry.
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