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Dhammapada 157–166

Attavagga

12. The Self · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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selfAttānañce belovedpiyaṁ you knewjaññā,
you would look afterrakkheyya itnaṁ so wellsurakkhitaṁ;
threeTiṇṇaṁ oneaññataraṁ watchyāmaṁ,
would remain alertpaṭijaggeyya astute personpaṇḍito.

himself indeedAttānameva firstpaṭhamaṁ,
in what is suitablepatirūpe would groundnivesaye;
then would instruct anotherAthaññamanusāseyya,
notna would be corruptedkilisseyya the astute onepaṇḍito.

if oneselfAttānañce sotathā one would treatkayirā,
as one instructs anotheryathāññamanusāsati;
the well-tamedSudanto indeedvata would tamedametha,
the selfattā forhi it seemskira is hard to tameduddamo.

selfAttā indeedhi of oneselfattano lordnātho,
whoko indeedhi lordnātho otherparo would besiyā;
by selfAttanā indeedhi well-tamedsudantena,
lordnāthaṁ gainslabhati raredullabhaṁ.

by oneselfAttanā indeedhi donekataṁ evilpāpaṁ,
born in oneselfAttajaṁ produced in oneselfattasambhavaṁ;
grinds downAbhimatthati simpletondummedhaṁ,
as diamond a lesser gemVajiraṁvasmamayaṁ gemmaṇiṁ.

of whomYassa extreme immoralityaccantadussilyaṁ,
a creepermāluvā as a sal tree chokedsālamivotthataṁ;
doesKaroti heso to himself likewisetathattānaṁ,
asyathā himnaṁ wishesicchatī a foediso.

easy to doSukarāni bad thingsasādhūni,
oneselfattano harmful toahitāni andca;
whichYaṁ indeedve helpful andhitañca good andsādhuñca,
thattaṁ indeedve the hardest to doparamadukkaraṁ.

whoYo guidancesāsanaṁ of the perfected onesarahataṁ,
of the noble onesariyānaṁ living righteouslydhammajīvinaṁ;
scornsPaṭikkosati the idiotdummedho,
viewsdiṭṭhiṁ on account ofnissāya wickedpāpikaṁ;
fruitsPhalāni like the bambookaṭṭhakasseva,
for the self's demiseattaghātāya bears fruitphallati.

by oneselfAttanā indeedhi donekataṁ evilpāpaṁ,
by oneselfattanā is corruptedsaṅkilissati;
by oneselfAttanā not doneakataṁ evilpāpaṁ,
by oneself onlyattanāva is purifiedvisujjhati;
puritySuddhī impurityasuddhi personalpaccattaṁ,
no onenāñño anotheraññaṁ can purifyvisodhaye.

one's own goodAttadatthaṁ for the sake of anotherparatthena,
even by muchbahunāpi notna neglecthāpaye;
knowing well one's own goodAttadatthamabhiññāya,
intent upon one's own goalsadatthapasuto you should besiyā.
the chapter on the selfAttavaggo the twelfthdvādasamo.

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