20. Self Concern (T210.20)

He who has love for himself
Should consciously protect what’s being guarded,
He should aspire for the release from craving
And, forgoing sleep, to be rectified.

Oneself comes first,
One should train hard oneself,
When benefit is derived, then instruct others.
The wise is thus vexed.

First learn to rectify oneself,
Then only rectify others.
Train yourself to enter wisdom,
And you will surely move upwards.

If one cannot benefit oneself,
How can one benefit others?
When one’s mind is tamed, and body rectified,
What aim is there that cannot be achieved?

What has been done by oneself before,
One will experience it’s effect later.
Having done evil one [suffers] through oneself,
Like a diamond boring through a gem.

If one does not observe the precepts,
[Craving] will spread a like a rattan creeper.
One’s desires being unrestrained,
Evil actions will increase day by day.

Evil actions endanger oneself;
They are easy for the fool.
Good actions are one’s best security;
They are difficult for the fool.

Those who accord with the True Men’s teaching,
And live in accordance with the Truth,
The fool envies them,
And views them as evil.

Evil actions yield bad [results],
Like the sowing of bitter seeds.
Having done evil, one suffers oneself;
Having done good, one experiences happiness oneself.
And each [result] must ripen [accordingly]
—It cannot be [experienced] on each other’s behalf.
[Like-wise], good actions yield good [results],
Like the sowing of sweet seeds.

One should benefit oneself as well as others,
And there will be benefit without much effort.
If one desires to know how to benefit oneself,
[Here it is]: Precepts and knowledge are the best.

One who has love for himself,
And wishes to be reborn in heavens,
Should, with respect and delight, listen to the Dharma
And remember the Buddha’s Teachings.

One must think carefully before any undertaking,
So that one’s effort must not be spoilt.
Thus one’s thinking becomes more and more trained,
And one does not miss the time for any undertaking.

One who has his undertaking well prepared,
Can reach the goal and achieve profit.
A true understanding should be put into practice,
And one will thereby achieve one’s aim.

Translated from the Chinese by Bhikkhu Kuala Lumpur Dhammajoti

From his book The Chinese Version of Dharmapada, Translated with introduction and annotations.

Published here with the kind permission of the author.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.