In the forests of Shravasti, lived Angulimala, a notorious serial killer who wore a necklace of fingers of the men he had killed. When he met the Buddha, he was hunting for his 1000th victim. Despite being chased, the Buddha appeared unmoved, leading Angulimala to ask, "Are you not afraid?” The Buddha replied, "I have stopped, Angulimala; it is you who have not stopped," explaining that he had ceased violent acts, while Angulimala was trapped in a cycle of suffering.
Angulimala was deeply affected by the Buddha’s kind and compassionate words. He could not believe that the Buddha was not afraid of him. Usually people ran away from him or aimed insults and weapons at him but the Buddha was calm and untroubled, and speaking kindly to him. Angulimala’s heart was softened. “At long last a Reverend Great Teacher has come to this great forest for my sake. Having heard your verse which is in accord with the Dharma, I now commit myself to stopping. I will no longer be violent towards any living thing”.
Angulimala gave up his wrong ways and became a disciple of the Buddha and eventually he was enlightened. The story of Angulimala highlights how one can achieve enlightenment even after severe misdeeds.