Kesakambalasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.137

Numbered Discourses 3.137

14. Yodhājīvavagga

14. A Warrior

Kesakambalasutta

A Hair Blanket

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāni kānici tantāvutānaṁ vatthānaṁ, kesakambalo tesaṁ paṭikiṭṭho akkhāyati.

“Mendicants, a hair blanket is said to be the worst kind of woven cloth.

Kesakambalo, bhikkhave, sīte sīto, uṇhe uṇho, dubbaṇṇo, duggandho, dukkhasamphasso.

It’s cold in the cold, hot in the heat, ugly, smelly, and unpleasant to touch.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici puthusamaṇabrāhmaṇavādānaṁ makkhalivādo tesaṁ paṭikiṭṭho akkhāyati.

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.

Makkhali, bhikkhave, moghapuriso evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi:

The bamboo-staffed ascetic, that futile man, has this doctrine and view:

‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

‘There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.’

Yepi te, bhikkhave, ahesuṁ atītamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, tepi bhagavanto kammavādā ceva ahesuṁ kiriyavādā ca vīriyavādā ca.

Those who were perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas in the past also taught the efficacy of deeds, action, and energy.

Tepi, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso paṭibāhati:

But the bamboo-staffed ascetic opposes them by saying:

‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

‘There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.’

Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, tepi bhagavanto kammavādā ceva bhavissanti kiriyavādā ca vīriyavādā ca.

Those who will be perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas in the future will also teach the efficacy of deeds, action, and energy.

Tepi, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso paṭibāhati:

But the bamboo-staffed ascetic opposes them by saying:

‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

‘There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.’

Ahampi, bhikkhave, etarahi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho kammavādo ceva kiriyavādo ca vīriyavādo ca.

I too, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha in the present, teach the efficacy of deeds, action, and energy.

Mampi, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso paṭibāhati:

But the bamboo-staffed ascetic opposes me by saying:

‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

‘There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.’

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, nadīmukhe khippaṁ uḍḍeyya bahūnaṁ macchānaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya anayāya byasanāya;

It’s like a trap set at the mouth of a river, which would bring harm, suffering, calamity, and disaster for many fish.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso manussakhippaṁ maññe loke uppanno bahūnaṁ sattānaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya anayāya byasanāyā”ti.

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.”

Pañcamaṁ.