Zen in Ten: "The Wise Person Should Stay Alert"
Dhammapada Verses 157-166: Attavaggo: The Chapter About the Self
Hello Dear Reader! This is the next post delineating the short verses in The Dhammapada, which is sometimes called the Buddhist Book of Proverbs. The Dhammapada is regarded as the most succinct expression of the Buddha's teachings found in the Pali canon. For your convenience, here are links to verses: 1-10, 11-20, 21-32, 33-43, 44-59, 60-75, 76-89, 90-99, 100-115, 116-128, 129-145, and 146-156. This chapter is translated by Bhante Ānandajoti, an ordained Theravāda monk. Peace, Rev. Shoren Heather
If one regards oneself as dear
one should guard oneself well, during
one of three watches of the night
the wise person should stay alert.First one should establish oneself
in what is suitable, then one
can advise another, the wise one
should not have any defilement.[She] should do as [she] would advise
another to do, then being
well-trained, [she] could train another,
for self is difficult to train.For the self is the friend of self,
for what other friend would there be?
When the self has been well-trained, one
finds a friend that is hard to find.That wickedness done by oneself,
born and arising in oneself,
crushes the one who is stupid,
as diamond a rock-jewel.The one who lacks virtue,
like deadly creeper on tree,
makes himself just as his
foe wishes him to be.Easily done are things not good,
unbeneficial for oneself,
but that which is beneficial
is exceedingly hard to do.Whoever reviles the worthy teaching
of the Noble Ones who live by Dhamma,
that stupid one, depending on wrong views,
like the bamboo when it bears fruit,
brings about his own destruction.By self is a wicked deed done,
by self is one defiled, by self
is a wicked deed left undone,
by oneself is one purified,
purity and impurity
come from oneself, for no one can
purify another person.One should not neglect one’s own good
for another’s, however great;
knowing what is good for oneself
one should be intent on that good.