Patna Dhamma Verses
Patna Dhammapadaṁ
Āttavarggaḥ
17: The Chapter about Self
306. Yassa accantadośśillaṁ,
malutā Sālam ivotatā,
karoti so tathāttānaṁ yathā naṁ biṣam icchati.
306. The one who has an exceeding lack of virtue,
like a deadly creeper covering a Sal tree,
makes himself the same as his enemy wishes him to be.
307. Āttanā hi kataṁ pāpaṁ,
āttajaṁ āttasambhavaṁ,
anumandhati dummedhaṁ
vayiraṁ vā ahmamayaṁ maṇiṁ.
307. That wickedness done by oneself,
born in oneself, arising in oneself,
crushes the one who is stupid,
as a diamond crushes a rock-jewel.
308. Āttanā hi kataṁ pāpaṁ,
āttanā saṅkiliśśati,
āttanā akataṁ pāpaṁ,
āttanā ye viśujjhati,
śoddhī aśoddhī praccattaṁ,
nāñño aññaṁ viśodhaye.
308. By oneself alone is a wicked deed done,
by oneself is one defiled,
by oneself is a wicked deed left undone,
by oneself is one purified,
purity and impurity come from oneself,
for no one purify another.
309. Na paresaṁ vilomāni,
na paresaṁ katākataṁ
āttanā ye aveccheyā,
katāni akatāni ca.
Na paresaṁ vilomāni,
na paresaṁ samāsamaṁ
āttanā ye aveccheyā,
samāni viṣamāṇi ca.
309. Not the wrongs of others,
or what others have done or have not done one should consider,
but what has been done and not done by oneself.
Not the wrongs of others,
or what is just and unjust for others one should consider,
but what is just and unjust for oneself.
311. Āttānañ-ce priyaṁ ñāyyā rakkheyā naṁ surakkhitaṁ,
na etaṁ sulabhaṁ hoti sukhaṁ dukkatakāriṇāṁ.
311. If one regards oneself as dear one should guard oneself right well,
for happiness is not easy to gain by those who do wrong.
312. Āttānaṁ ce priyaṁ ñāyyā rakkheyā naṁ surakkhitaṁ,
ttiṇṇam añataraṁ yāmānaṁ
paṭijāggreya paṇḍito.
312. If one regards oneself as dear one should guard oneself right well,
during one of the three watches of the night
the wise one should stay alert.
313. Ekāsanaṁ ekaśeyaṁ
ekacariyām atandrito,
eko ramayam āttānaṁ
vanānte ramitā siyā.
313. Sitting alone, lying down alone,
walking alone, diligent,
the solitary one who delights in himself
will delight in the edge of a forest.
314. Yo śāsanaṁ arahatāṁ
Ayirāṇāṁ Dhammajīvināṁ,
paṭikrośati dummedho, dṣṭiṁ niśśāya pāpikāṁ,
karoti so tathāttānaṁ yathā naṁ biṣam icchati.
314. Whoever reviles the worthy teaching
of the Noble Ones who live by Dhamma,
that stupid one, depending on wicked views,
makes himself the same as his enemy wishes him to be.
315. Yo śāsanaṁ arahatāṁ
Ayirāṇāṁ Dhammajīvināṁ,
paṭikrośati dummedho dṣṭiṁ niśśaya pāpikāṁ,
phalāni kaṇṭakasseva, āttaghannāya phallati.
315. Whoever reviles the worthy teaching
of the Noble Ones who live by Dhamma,
that stupid one, depending on wicked views,
like the bamboo when it bears fruit, brings about his own destruction.
316. Āttānam eva paṭhamaṁ atthe Dhamme niveśaye,
athāññam anuśāseyā:
‘Evaṁ hohi yathā ahaṁ’.
316. First one should establish oneself in the good and the Dhamma,
then one can advise another,
saying: ‘You must be as I am’.
317. Āttānam eva paṭhamaṁ paṭirūpe niyojaye,
athāññam anuśāsanto,
na kiliśśati praññavā.
317. First one should commit oneself to what is suitable,
then when advising another,
the wise one should not have any defilement.
318. Āttanā ye tathā kayirā yathāññam anuśāsaye,
adānto vata dameyā,
āttā hi kira duddamo.
318. He should do himself as he would advise another to do,
being untrained, he should surely train himself,
for it is said the self is difficult to train.
319-320. Āttā hi bhe varaṁ dānto yacchāyam itarā prajā,
āttadāntassa poṣassa,
sadā saṁyyatacāriṇo,
neva devā na gandhabbā,
na Māro saha Brahmuṇā,
jitaṁ apajitaṁ kayirā tattharūpassa jantuno.
319-320. A tamed self is better than that of other people,
for the person who conquers himself,
who lives always well-restrained,
neither gods, nor gandhabbas,
nor Māra together with Brahmās,
can turn conquest into defeat for a person who is like this.
321. Āttā hi āttano nātho,
ko hi nātho paro siyā?
Āttanā hi sucinnena,
nāthaṁ labhati dullabhaṁ.
321. For the self is the friend of self,
for what other friend would there be?
When the self is well-practiced,
one finds a friend that is hard to find.
322. Āttā hi āttano nātho,
āttā hi āttano gatī,
tassā saṁyyamayāttānaṁ,
aśśaṁ bhadraṁ va vāṇijo.
322. Self is the protector of self,
self is the refuge of self,
therefore one should restrain oneself,
as a merchant restrains his noble horse.
323. Āttānam eva damaye,
aśśasugatiyā sadā,
damma śamma ujjuṁ hohi,
tato akuṭilo bhava,
tato dānto sukhī hohi,
anupādāya nivto.
323. One should tame oneself always,
that will be for a good destiny,
be tamed, be peaceful, be upright,
and from that be honest,
then, tamed, be happy,
unattached and cooled down.
324. Āttanā codayāttānaṁ,
parimaśāttānam āttanā,
so āttagutto satimā, sukhaṁ bhikkhū vihāhisi.
324. By oneself one should censure self,
by oneself one should be controlled,
he who guards himself, mindful,
will live happily, monastic.
325. Ātta-d-ātthaṁ parātthena bahunā pi na hāpaye;
ātta-d-ātthaṁ paraṁ ñāttā
sa-d-ātthaparamo siyā.
325. One should not neglect one’s own good for another’s, however great;
knowing further what is good for oneself
should be the supreme good.
326. Nevāttaheto na parassa heto,
na saggam icche, na dhanaṁ na rāṣṭaṁ –
necche adhammeṇa samddhim āttano;
so śīlavā praññavā dhāmmiko siyā.
326. Not for one’s own sake and not for another’s sake,
not desiring heaven, riches, or a kingdom –
he should not desire his success through corruption;
he should be both virtuous and wise and righteous.
Āttavarggaḥ
The Chapter about Self