The Teachings of Venerable Sariputta : หน้า 26/112

26 At that moment Venerable Sariputta showed himself at the door of the former executioner's house. When the man saw the Venerable, he paid obeisance to him. And escorting him into his house, he provided him with a seat, poured the sweet milk-porridge into his bowl, spread fresh ghee thereon, and standing beside him, began to fan him. After the meal, the monk taught him the Dhamma, but Tambadathika could not pay attention, because he was so agitated as he recollected his past life as an executioner. When the monk knew this, he decided to ask Tambadathika tactfully whether he killed the thieves because he wished to kill them or because he was ordered to do so. Tambadathika answered that he was ordered to kill them by the king and that he had no wish to kill. Then the monk asked, "If that is so, would you be guilty or not?" Tambadathika then concluded that, as he was not responsible for the evil deeds, he was not guilty. He, therefore, calmed down, and requested the monk to continue his exposition. As he listened to the Dhamma with proper attention, he came very close to attaining sotapatti magga and reached as faras anuloma nana (adaption-to-truth-knowledge).