• Numbered Discourses 3.137 Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.137
  • 14. A Warrior 14. Yodhājīvavagga

A Hair Blanket Kesakambalasutta

“Mendicants, a hair blanket is said to be the worst kind of woven cloth. “Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāni kānici tantāvutānaṁ vatthānaṁ, kesakambalo tesaṁ paṭikiṭṭho akkhāyati. It’s cold in the cold, hot in the heat, ugly, smelly, and unpleasant to touch. Kesakambalo, bhikkhave, sīte sīto, uṇhe uṇho, dubbaṇṇo, duggandho, dukkhasamphasso. In the same way, the teaching of the bamboo-staffed ascetic is said to be the worst of all the doctrines of the various ascetics and brahmins. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici puthusamaṇabrāhmaṇavādānaṁ makkhalivādo tesaṁ paṭikiṭṭho akkhāyati.

The bamboo-staffed ascetic, that futile man, has this doctrine and view: Makkhali, bhikkhave, moghapuriso evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.’ ‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

Those who were perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas in the past also taught the efficacy of deeds, action, and energy. Yepi te, bhikkhave, ahesuṁ atītamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, tepi bhagavanto kammavādā ceva ahesuṁ kiriyavādā ca vīriyavādā ca. But the bamboo-staffed ascetic opposes them by saying: Tepi, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso paṭibāhati: ‘There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.’ ‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

Those who will be perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas in the future will also teach the efficacy of deeds, action, and energy. Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, tepi bhagavanto kammavādā ceva bhavissanti kiriyavādā ca vīriyavādā ca. But the bamboo-staffed ascetic opposes them by saying: Tepi, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso paṭibāhati: ‘There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.’ ‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

I too, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha in the present, teach the efficacy of deeds, action, and energy. Ahampi, bhikkhave, etarahi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho kammavādo ceva kiriyavādo ca vīriyavādo ca. But the bamboo-staffed ascetic opposes me by saying: Mampi, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso paṭibāhati: ‘There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.’ ‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

It’s like a trap set at the mouth of a river, which would bring harm, suffering, calamity, and disaster for many fish. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, nadīmukhe khippaṁ uḍḍeyya bahūnaṁ macchānaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya anayāya byasanāya; In the same way that futile man the bamboo-staffed ascetic is a trap for humans, it seems to me. He has come into the world for the harm, suffering, calamity, and disaster of many beings.” evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso manussakhippaṁ maññe loke uppanno bahūnaṁ sattānaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya anayāya byasanāyā”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.