From time immemorial there has always been the bad apple among humans to tarnish this beautiful planet called Earth. They will continue to exist throughout time in the past present and the future.

There was once a merciless murderer who lived during at the time of the Buddha’s life. He was also a notorious thief and a relentless killer who committed innumerable grievous offences and was a terrible sinner. But however, this terrible man happened to listen to the teachings of the great Buddha and his life began to follow a different path. At one stage, he thought over what his life had been in the past and began to repent for his past crimes and mistakes. He was so changed in his attitude and wanted to become an exemplary and divine person like the Buddha. His sole desire now was to become his follower.

He went to visit the Buddha’s place to see him and start a new life with him. The Buddha’s followers to whom he told his purpose of coming stopped him. They laughed at him and told him that it was not a place for sinners like him and they drove him away.

But, undaunted he pursued with his intention to meet the Buddha. So much so was his determination that he decided to jump over the campus wall of the Buddha’s place.

Once over the wall, he managed to sneak inside the ashram. Unfortunately for him the Buddha’s chief disciple noticed him and asked him what made him jump inside the ashram. He told the disciple that he wanted to follow the teachings of the Buddha and become a hermit like him. The disciple was astonished at this notorious man’s desire. He could notice the determination in his eyes and saw that he really meant it and was genuine in what he said. Therefore, he carefully studied this man’s horoscope to see whether he had done any good things in his past births.

He found that he had been a much greater sinner in his previous births than he was at present. The disciple then asked his people to get rid of him and put him out from the ashram. He was literally being thrown away from the ashram when the Buddha entered the place and seeing the commotion he enquired about the incident. The Buddha in his enlightenment was able to understand the man and request the disciples to let him stay on. He told them that he would become eligible to become his follower within a week. All were shocked at hearing this statement from the Buddha.

The notorious thief so repented for all the bad deeds he had committed, he took great care in really shaping himself into an exemplary human being within the week and thus surprised every one in the ashram. The Buddha told his other followers that they forgot to study his future in his horoscope. He added, “when a person sincerely repents for his mistakes, he has the ability to transform into a divine soul quickly as he comes with great mental burdens caused by his sinful life.’

He later on became one of the great disciples of the Buddha. This incident tells us that if a person has the ability to really repent for all his past mistakes, he will have the potential in him and become eligible for a normal life. Therefore people should encourage him to start a new life.