The Buddha teaches on a hair blanket, presenting a threefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 3.137 A Hair Blanket

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāni kānici tantāvutānaṁ vatthānaṁ, kesakambalo tesaṁ paṭikiṭṭho akkhāyati. Kesakambalo, bhikkhave, sīte sīto, uṇhe uṇho, dubbaṇṇo, duggandho, dukkhasamphasso. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici puthusamaṇabrāhmaṇavādānaṁ makkhalivādo tesaṁ paṭikiṭṭho akkhāyati.

Makkhali, bhikkhave, moghapuriso evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

Yepi te, bhikkhave, ahesuṁ atītamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, tepi bhagavanto kammavādā ceva ahesuṁ kiriyavādā ca vīriyavādā ca. Tepi, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso paṭibāhati: ‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

Yepi te, bhikkhave, bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, tepi bhagavanto kammavādā ceva bhavissanti kiriyavādā ca vīriyavādā ca. Tepi, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso paṭibāhati: ‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

Ahampi, bhikkhave, etarahi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho kammavādo ceva kiriyavādo ca vīriyavādo ca. Mampi, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso paṭibāhati: ‘natthi kammaṁ, natthi kiriyaṁ, natthi vīriyan’ti.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, nadīmukhe khippaṁ uḍḍeyya bahūnaṁ macchānaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya anayāya byasanāya; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, makkhali moghapuriso manussakhippaṁ maññe loke uppanno bahūnaṁ sattānaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya anayāya byasanāyā”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“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.

Qualities:

Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Vigour

Vigour

Energetic effort and resilience in practice. It is the refusal to shrink back, the 'uphill' force that initiates and sustains wholesome actions against the gravity of habit.

Also known as: energy, effort, enthusiasm, zeal, application of will, persistence
Pāli: vīriya
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Wrong view

Wrong view

A distorted understanding that sees permanence in the impermanent, satisfaction in the unsatisfactory, or self in the not-self. Wrong view guides action by delusion, obscuring cause and effect, and closes the door to wisdom and release.

Also known as: distorted or inverted perception, untrue view, false belief
Pāli: micchādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026