Dear Frank,

On preparing for the Sunday dhamma study class, I incidentally came across this relevant reference, being another version of the Buddha's guarantee to Nanda in the commentary to AN.I which is probably clearer than the one from Dhammapadaṭṭhakathā you referred to:

"Nanda, evarūpā accharā samaṇadhammaṃ karontānaṃ na dullabhāti. Sace me, bhante bhagavā, pāṭibhogo hoti, ahaṃ samaṇadhammaṃ karissāmīti. Vissattho tvaṃ, nanda, samaṇadhammaṃ karohi. Sace te sappaṭisandhikā kālakiriyā bhavissati, ahaṃ etāsaṃ paṭilābhatthāya pāṭibhogoti." (AN-a 1.316-7)

Rough translation:

Buddha: "Nanda, such celestial nymphs are not hard to be obtained for those who practise samaṇa-dhamma."

Nanda: If the Blessed one will be my guarantor, I will do it.

Buddha: "Be confident, Nanda. Practise samaṇa-dhammmma. If there will be death with (future) rebirth for you, I am guarantor for the obtainment of those nymphs."

As for another example of another killer who attained dhamma, see the story of Tambadāṭhikacoraghātaka in the Dhammapadaṭṭhakathā 2.202-208.

As for the comparison of Ajātasattu, you may recollect that he did not practise himself according to Buddha's teachings as did Angulimala. The best Ajatasattu did was only 'dāna', and he has not abandoned any desire. See the story of Jotika where Ajātasattu's greed was mentioned.

Metta,
Chanida

--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Frank K <frank48k@...> wrote:
>
> The problem is the Buddha guaranteed his cousin Nanda
> celestial nymphs if he didn't disrobe and remained in the order. If the
> Buddha had made the guarantee in a not so ironclad way, I wouldn't have a
> problem with that either. For example, if he said, "Nanda, if you don't
> disrobe, I will show you how to develop samatha to the point where you
> could easily attain celestial nymphs." Then the Buddha would be stating a
> truth, and not making ironclad guarantees that seem to be not something an
> enlightened being would say.
>
> In the case of Angulimala, is there any other precedent in the Canon where
> someone can commit such heinous crimes as Angulimala and still attain
> arahantship or even stream entry in that safe lifetime?