---
title: "The Dhammapada · Dhammapada"
author: "The Buddha"
translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato"
title_ru: "Дхаммапада"
author_ru: "Будда"
languages: [pi, en]
shelf: "Pali Canon"
section: 12 of 26
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-dhammapada/12/
cite: "The Buddha, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, The Dhammapada · Dhammapada, section 12. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-dhammapada/12/"
---

# The Dhammapada · Dhammapada

*The Buddha, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato*

Russian: Дхаммапада, Будда

The 423 verses of the Path of the Teaching, in twenty-six chapters: the pairs, vigilance, the mind, flowers, the fool, the wise, the brahmin.

> Pali: the Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka (Buddha Jayanti edition, 2500), from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0).

> English: Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the segment numbers the two texts share, gathered into paragraphs; verse keeps its lines.

## 12. The Self · Dhp 157–166

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-dhammapada/12/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-dhammapada/12/#p-N

[¶0] Dhp 157

> Pali: Dhp 157 · Bodhirājakumāravatthu

[¶1] 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.

> Pali: Attānañce piyaṁ jaññā,
rakkheyya naṁ surakkhitaṁ;
Tiṇṇaṁ aññataraṁ yāmaṁ,
paṭijaggeyya paṇḍito.

[¶2] Dhp 158

> Pali: Dhp 158 · Upanandasakyaputtattheravatthu

[¶3] The astute would avoid being corrupted
by first grounding themselves
in what is suitable,
and then instructing others.

> Pali: Attānameva paṭhamaṁ,
patirūpe nivesaye;
Athaññamanusāseyya,
na kilisseyya paṇḍito.

[¶4] Dhp 159

> Pali: Dhp 159 · Padhānikatissattheravatthu

[¶5] 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.

> Pali: Attānañce tathā kayirā,
yathāññamanusāsati;
Sudanto vata dametha,
attā hi kira duddamo.

[¶6] Dhp 160

> Pali: Dhp 160 · Kumārakassapamātuttherivatthu

[¶7] 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.

> Pali: Attā hi attano nātho,
ko hi nātho paro siyā;
Attanā hi sudantena,
nāthaṁ labhati dullabhaṁ.

[¶8] Dhp 161

> Pali: Dhp 161 · Mahākālaupāsakavatthu

[¶9] For the evil that is done by oneself,
born and produced in oneself,
grinds down a simpleton,
as diamond grinds a lesser gem.

> Pali: Attanā hi kataṁ pāpaṁ,
Attajaṁ attasambhavaṁ;
Abhimatthati dummedhaṁ,
Vajiraṁvasmamayaṁ maṇiṁ.

[¶10] Dhp 162

> Pali: Dhp 162 · Devadattavatthu

[¶11] One choked by immorality,
as a sal tree by a creeper,
does to themselves
what a foe only wishes.

> Pali: Yassa accantadussilyaṁ,
māluvā sālamivotthataṁ;
Karoti so tathattānaṁ,
yathā naṁ icchatī diso.

[¶12] Dhp 163

> Pali: Dhp 163 · Saṅghabhedaparisakkanavatthu

[¶13] It’s easy to do bad things
harmful to oneself,
but good things that are helpful
are the hardest things to do.

> Pali: Sukarāni asādhūni,
attano ahitāni ca;
Yaṁ ve hitañca sādhuñca,
taṁ ve paramadukkaraṁ.

[¶14] Dhp 164

> Pali: Dhp 164 · Kālattheravatthu

[¶15] 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.

> Pali: Yo sāsanaṁ arahataṁ,
ariyānaṁ dhammajīvinaṁ;
Paṭikkosati dummedho,
diṭṭhiṁ nissāya pāpikaṁ;
Phalāni kaṭṭhakasseva,
attaghātāya phallati.

[¶16] Dhp 165

> Pali: Dhp 165 · Cūḷakālaupāsakavatthu

[¶17] 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.

> Pali: Attanā hi kataṁ pāpaṁ,
attanā saṅkilissati;
Attanā akataṁ pāpaṁ,
attanāva visujjhati;
Suddhī asuddhi paccattaṁ,
nāñño aññaṁ visodhaye.

[¶18] Dhp 166

> Pali: Dhp 166 · Attadatthattheravatthu

[¶19] 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.

> Pali: Attadatthaṁ paratthena,
bahunāpi na hāpaye;
Attadatthamabhiññāya,
sadatthapasuto siyā.

[¶20] > Pali: Attavaggo dvādasamo.