157If one holds oneself dear, one should diligently watch oneself. Let the wise man keep vigil during any of the three watches of the night.

158One should first establish oneself in what is proper; then only should one instruct others. Thus the wise man will not be reproached.

159One should do what one teaches others to do; if one would train others, one should be well controlled oneself. Difficult, indeed, is self-control.

160One truly is the protector of oneself; who else could the protector be? With oneself fully controlled, one gains a mastery that is hard to gain.

161The evil a witless man does by himself, born of himself and produced by himself, grinds him as a diamond grinds a hard gem.

162Just as a single creeper strangles the tree on which it grows, even so, a man who is exceedingly depraved harms himself as only an enemy might wish.

163Easy to do are things that are bad and harmful to oneself. But exceedingly difficult to do are things that are good and beneficial.

164Whoever, on account of perverted views, scorns the Teaching of the Perfected Ones, the Noble and Righteous Ones — that fool, like the bamboo, produces fruits only for self destruction.

165By oneself is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself is one made pure. Purity and impurity depend on oneself; no one can purify another.

166Let one not neglect one's own welfare for the sake of another, however great. Clearly understanding one's own welfare, let one be intent upon the good.

157Attānañce piyaṁ jaññā,
rakkheyya naṁ surakkhitaṁ;
Tiṇṇaṁ aññataraṁ yāmaṁ,
paṭijaggeyya paṇḍito.

158Attānameva paṭhamaṁ,
patirūpe nivesaye;
Athaññamanusāseyya,
na kilisseyya paṇḍito.

159Attānañce tathā kayirā,
yathāññamanusāsati;
Sudanto vata dametha,
attā hi kira duddamo.

160Attā hi attano nātho,
ko hi nātho paro siyā;
Attanā hi sudantena,
nāthaṁ labhati dullabhaṁ.

161Attanā hi kataṁ pāpaṁ,
Attajaṁ attasambhavaṁ;
Abhimatthati dummedhaṁ,
Vajiraṁvasmamayaṁ maṇiṁ.

162Yassa accantadussilyaṁ,
māluvā sālamivotthataṁ;
Karoti so tathattānaṁ,
yathā naṁ icchatī diso.

163Sukarāni asādhūni,
attano ahitāni ca;
Yaṁ ve hitañca sādhuñca,
taṁ ve paramadukkaraṁ.

164Yo sāsanaṁ arahataṁ,
ariyānaṁ dhammajīvinaṁ;
Paṭikkosati dummedho,
diṭṭhiṁ nissāya pāpikaṁ;
Phalāni kaṭṭhakasseva,
attaghātāya phallati.

165Attanā hi kataṁ pāpaṁ,
attanā saṅkilissati;
Attanā akataṁ pāpaṁ,
attanāva visujjhati;
Suddhī asuddhi paccattaṁ,
nāñño aññaṁ visodhaye.

166Attadatthaṁ paratthena,
bahunāpi na hāpaye;
Attadatthamabhiññāya,
sadatthapasuto siyā.

Attavaggo dvādasamo.