If one knew [how] beloved oneself [was to oneself], one would carefully watch over oneself. A wise man would be wakeful in one of the three parts of the night.

One should firstly establish oneself in what is fitting [for one who has entered the life of asceticism]. Then, [having done so], one can instruct others [in those qualities]. The wise man would not become spiritually defiled [through the welcoming of praise, and the rejecting of criticism].

One should indeed do oneself whatever one instructs others [to do]. One who is [himself] well tamed can certainly tame [others]. But the ego is truly difficult to tame.

One is oneself one’s own Saviour. Who else could be one’s Saviour? With one’s ego well tamed one finds a Saviour hard to find.

Demerit generated by his ego, born from his ego, arisen from his ego, crushes the fool like a diamond crushes a hard gem.

One whose conduct [is] extremely immoral behaves like a māluvā creeper strangling a sāl tree. He does to himself what his enemy would wish [to do to him].

Things which are bad and not beneficial to oneself are easy to do. That which is beneficial to oneself and good, is very difficult to do.

The fool who, relying on an odious dogmatic view, reviles the teaching of the arahants, the Noble Ones, those living righteously, bears the fruit [of his gains, honour, and renown] to his own destruction. [They are to him] like the fruits of the bamboo.

Demerit is created by oneself. One is spiritually defiled by oneself. Demerit is avoided by oneself. One is spiritually purified by oneself. Purity and impurity are matters of personal responsibility. Nobody can purify another.

One should not neglect one’s own spiritual well-being for the sake of others, however many of them. Fully understanding [the reality of] one’s own spiritual well-being, one should be intent upon one’s own spiritual well-being.