DHAMMAPADA
(Dhp 12). Attavagga : Self
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu © 1997–2009
157
then guard, guard yourself well.
The wise person would stay awake
nursing himself
in any of the three watches of the night,
the three stages of life.
he’d settle himself
in what is correct,
only then
teach others.
He wouldn’t stain his name
: he is wise.
the way you teach others,
then, well-trained,
go ahead & tame —
for, as they say,
what’s hard to tame is you
yourself.
your own mainstay,
for who else could your mainstay be?
With you yourself well-trained
you obtain the mainstay
hard to obtain.
— self-born, self-created —
grinds down the dullard,
as a diamond, a precious stone.
like a sal tree by a vine —
you do to yourself
what an enemy would wish.
things of no good
& no use to yourself.
What’s truly useful & good
is truly harder than hard to do.
worthy ones, noble:
whoever maligns it
— a dullard,
inspired by evil view —
bears fruit for his own destruction,
like the fruiting of the bamboo.
by oneself
by oneself is one defiled.
Evil is left undone by oneself
by oneself is one cleansed.
Purity & impurity are one’s own doing.
No one purifies another.
No other purifies one.
166
for that of another,
no matter how great.
Realizing your own true welfare,
be intent on just that.
Provenance: ©1997 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
This Access to Insight edition is ©1997–2009 John T. Bullitt.
Terms of use: You may copy, reformat, reprint, republish, and redistribute this work in any medium whatsoever, provided that:
- (1) you only make such copies, etc. available free of charge;
- (2) you clearly indicate that any derivatives of this work (including translations) are derived from this source document;
- and (3) you include the full text of this license in any copies or derivatives of this work.
Otherwise, all rights reserved.
All the sutras HERE
