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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.

If you knew your self as beloved, you’d look after it so well. In one of the night’s three watches, an astute person would remain alert.

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

The astute would avoid being corrupted by first grounding themselves in what is suitable, and then instructing others.

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.

If one were to treat oneself as one instructs another, the well-tamed indeed would tame: for the self, it seems, is hard to tame.

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

One is indeed the lord of oneself, for who else would be one’s lord? By means of a well-tamed self, one gains a lord that’s rare indeed.

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

For the evil that is done by oneself, born and produced in oneself, grinds down a simpleton, as diamond grinds a lesser gem.

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

One choked by immorality, as a sal tree by a creeper, does to themselves what a foe only wishes.

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

It’s easy to do bad things harmful to oneself, but good things that are helpful are the hardest things to do.

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.

On account of wicked views— scorning the guidance of the perfected ones, the noble ones living righteously— the idiot begets their own self’s demise, like the bamboo bearing fruit.

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.

For it is by oneself that evil’s done, one is corrupted by oneself. It’s by oneself that evil’s not done, one is purified by oneself. Purity and impurity are personal matters, no one can purify another.

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.

Never neglect what is good for yourself for the sake of another, however great. Knowing well what is good for yourself, be intent upon your heart’s goal.

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