In short: Chapter 12 of the Dhammapada, The Self (Attavagga), verses 157 to 166. First set yourself in what is right, then teach others; you are your own protector.
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.
Dhammapada 157, the chapter's first verse.
Pāli and English translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral. The introduction is ANEW's.
The verses in Pāli and English
| Verse | Pāli | English |
|---|---|---|
| 157 | Attānañce piyaṁ jaññā, | If you knew your self as beloved, |
| rakkheyya naṁ surakkhitaṁ; | you’d look after it so well. | |
| Tiṇṇaṁ aññataraṁ yāmaṁ, | In one of the night’s three watches, | |
| paṭijaggeyya paṇḍito. | an astute person would remain alert. | |
| 158 | Attānameva paṭhamaṁ, | The astute would avoid being corrupted |
| patirūpe nivesaye; | by first grounding themselves | |
| Athaññamanusāseyya, | in what is suitable, | |
| na kilisseyya paṇḍito. | and then instructing others. | |
| 159 | Attānañce tathā kayirā, | If one were to treat oneself |
| yathāññamanusāsati; | as one instructs another, | |
| Sudanto vata dametha, | the well-tamed indeed would tame: | |
| attā hi kira duddamo. | for the self, it seems, is hard to tame. | |
| 160 | Attā hi attano nātho, | One is indeed the lord of oneself, |
| ko hi nātho paro siyā; | for who else would be one’s lord? | |
| Attanā hi sudantena, | By means of a well-tamed self, | |
| nāthaṁ labhati dullabhaṁ. | one gains a lord that’s rare indeed. | |
| 161 | Attanā hi kataṁ pāpaṁ, | For the evil that is done by oneself, |
| Attajaṁ attasambhavaṁ; | born and produced in oneself, | |
| Abhimatthati dummedhaṁ, | grinds down a simpleton, | |
| Vajiraṁvasmamayaṁ maṇiṁ. | as diamond grinds a lesser gem. | |
| 162 | Yassa accantadussilyaṁ, | One choked by immorality, |
| māluvā sālamivotthataṁ; | as a sal tree by a creeper, | |
| Karoti so tathattānaṁ, | does to themselves | |
| yathā naṁ icchatī diso. | what a foe only wishes. | |
| 163 | Sukarāni asādhūni, | It’s easy to do bad things |
| attano ahitāni ca; | harmful to oneself, | |
| Yaṁ ve hitañca sādhuñca, | but good things that are helpful | |
| taṁ ve paramadukkaraṁ. | are the hardest things to do. | |
| 164 | Yo sāsanaṁ arahataṁ, | On account of wicked views— |
| ariyānaṁ dhammajīvinaṁ; | scorning the guidance | |
| Paṭikkosati dummedho, | of the perfected ones, | |
| diṭṭhiṁ nissāya pāpikaṁ; | the noble ones living righteously— | |
| Phalāni kaṭṭhakasseva, | the idiot begets their own self’s demise, | |
| attaghātāya phallati. | like the bamboo bearing fruit. | |
| 165 | Attanā hi kataṁ pāpaṁ, | For it is by oneself that evil’s done, |
| attanā saṅkilissati; | one is corrupted by oneself. | |
| Attanā akataṁ pāpaṁ, | It’s by oneself that evil’s not done, | |
| attanāva visujjhati; | one is purified by oneself. | |
| Suddhī asuddhi paccattaṁ, | Purity and impurity are personal matters, | |
| nāñño aññaṁ visodhaye. | no one can purify another. | |
| 166 | Attadatthaṁ paratthena, | Never neglect what is good for yourself |
| bahunāpi na hāpaye; | for the sake of another, however great. | |
| Attadatthamabhiññāya, | Knowing well what is good for yourself, | |
| sadatthapasuto siyā. | be intent upon your heart’s goal. |
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Questions people ask
What is chapter 12 of the Dhammapada about?
First set yourself in what is right, then teach others; you are your own protector.
Which verses are in Dhammapada chapter 12?
Chapter 12, The Self (Attavagga), contains verses 157 to 166.