Dhammapada · Chapter 12 of 26 · verses 157 to 166
You are your own master; no one else can purify you.
Attavagga
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In this chapter the Buddha teaches personal responsibility. Here 'self' (atta) means oneself in the everyday sense, the person who acts and bears the results. One who truly cares for oneself guards oneself with care, first sets oneself right before teaching others, and tames oneself, since 'the self is the master of the self'. Wrongdoing is shown to harm the doer like a creeper choking a tree, and Buddhists understand from this chapter that purity and impurity depend on one's own actions, so no one can purify another.
Self-masteryEthicsDiligence
The commentary tells that when the Buddha announced he would pass away in four months, many monks anxiously crowded around him.
One monk, Attadattha, stayed away and meditated alone, resolving to reach liberation while the Buddha still lived.
Other monks thought him uncaring and brought him to the Buddha. He explained that practice was his way of honouring the teacher.
The Buddha praised him, saying true honour is practice of the Dhamma, and spoke verse 166 about pursuing one's own true good.
Attānañce piyaṁ jaññā,rakkheyya naṁ surakkhitaṁ;Tiṇṇaṁ aññataraṁ yāmaṁ,paṭijaggeyya paṇḍito.
अत्तानञ्चे पियं जञ्ञा,रक्खेय्य नं सुरक्खितं ।तिण्णं अञ्ञतरं यामं,पटिजग्गेय्य पण्डितो ॥
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.
Attānameva paṭhamaṁ,patirūpe nivesaye;Athaññamanusāseyya,na kilisseyya paṇḍito.
अत्तानमेव पठमं,पतिरूपे निवेसये ।अथञ्ञमनुसासेय्य,न किलिस्सेय्य पण्डितो ॥
The astute would avoid being corrupted by first grounding themselves in what is suitable, and then instructing others.
Attānañce tathā kayirā,yathāññamanusāsati;Sudanto vata dametha,attā hi kira duddamo.
अत्तानञ्चे तथा कयिरा,यथाञ्ञमनुसासति ।सुदन्तो वत दमेथ,अत्ता हि किर दुद्दमो ॥
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.
Attā hi attano nātho,ko hi nātho paro siyā;Attanā hi sudantena,nāthaṁ labhati dullabhaṁ.
अत्ता हि अत्तनो नाथो,को हि नाथो परो सिया ।अत्तना हि सुदन्तेन,नाथं लभति दुल्लभं ॥
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.
Attanā hi kataṁ pāpaṁ,Attajaṁ attasambhavaṁ;Abhimatthati dummedhaṁ,Vajiraṁvasmamayaṁ maṇiṁ.
अत्तना हि कतं पापं,अत्तजं अत्तसम्भवं ।अभिमत्थति दुम्मेधं,वजिरंवस्ममयं मणिं ॥
For the evil that is done by oneself, born and produced in oneself, grinds down a simpleton, as diamond grinds a lesser gem.
Yassa accantadussilyaṁ,māluvā sālamivotthataṁ;Karoti so tathattānaṁ,yathā naṁ icchatī diso.
यस्स अच्चन्तदुस्सिल्यं,मालुवा सालमिवोत्थतं ।करोति सो तथत्तानं,यथा नं इच्छती दिसो ॥
One choked by immorality, as a sal tree by a creeper, does to themselves what a foe only wishes.
Sukarāni asādhūni,attano ahitāni ca;Yaṁ ve hitañca sādhuñca,taṁ ve paramadukkaraṁ.
सुकरानि असाधूनि,अत्तनो अहितानि च ।यं वे हितञ्च साधुञ्च,तं वे परमदुक्करं ॥
It’s easy to do bad things harmful to oneself, but good things that are helpful are the hardest things to do.
Yo sāsanaṁ arahataṁ,ariyānaṁ dhammajīvinaṁ;Paṭikkosati dummedho,diṭṭhiṁ nissāya pāpikaṁ;Phalāni kaṭṭhakasseva,attaghātāya phallati.
यो सासनं अरहतं,अरियानं धम्मजीविनं ।पटिक्कोसति दुम्मेधो,दिट्ठिं निस्साय पापिकं ।फलानि कट्ठकस्सेव,अत्तघाताय फल्लति ॥
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.
Attanā hi kataṁ pāpaṁ,attanā saṅkilissati;Attanā akataṁ pāpaṁ,attanāva visujjhati;Suddhī asuddhi paccattaṁ,nāñño aññaṁ visodhaye.
अत्तना हि कतं पापं,अत्तना सङ्किलिस्सति ।अत्तना अकतं पापं,अत्तनाव विसुज्झति ।सुद्धी असुद्धि पच्चत्तं,नाञ्ञो अञ्ञं विसोधये ॥
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.
Attadatthaṁ paratthena,bahunāpi na hāpaye;Attadatthamabhiññāya,sadatthapasuto siyā.Attavaggo dvādasamo.
अत्तदत्थं परत्थेन,बहुनापि न हापये ।अत्तदत्थमभिञ्ञाय,सदत्थपसुतो सिया ॥अत्तवग्गो द्वादसमो ॥
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.
According to verse 158, what should the wise do before instructing others?
What does verse 159 call the hardest thing to tame?
Complete verse 160: 'One is indeed the master of...'
In verse 162, immorality chokes a person like what?
According to verse 163, which deeds are easy to do?
What does verse 165 say about purity?
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Pali (Mahāsaṅgīti edition) and English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0) from SuttaCentral. Hindi and Marathi meanings, summaries and stories: IndiaDigital, awaiting review by a Buddhist scholar.
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