Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

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DHAMMAPADA ,
1 04
expostulation— ^"Psha! psha! thou (foolisTi) mendicant,
what art thou going to do ? " On this Makhara opened
out the cause of his grief ; on which the Tree-Spirit con-
tinued and said— " Do no such thing as this, but listen to
my words : In the time of K^syapa Buddha, long ago, you
were then a Shaman deeply acquainted with the three
hooks (baskets— i.e., Pitakas), and amohg your 500 brethren
you were pre-eminent, in consequence of which you were
filled with pride and self-complacency, and, despised all
others on account of their ignorance ; and because you
died then without repentance, it has been your lot ever
since to be born dull and stupid—what good, then, to
destroy yourself ?
And then Buddha, appearing in all his glOry, added
these verses :
—
"If ^ a man love himself, let him carefully pro-
tect that which he is so anxious about (i.e., himself).
If he hope to be delivered from carnal desire, let
him learn the right way without indolence (sleep).
Himself, this is the first consideration ; let him put
forth his own power and attain wisdom. Profiting
(himself in this way), he may then instruct others.
Unwearied in his eff'orts, he will then gain wisdom.
The enlightened man will first govern himself,
then in due time he will be able to govern others.
Eegulating his own conduct (himself), and entering
(on the domain of) true wisdom, he must necessarily
ascend to the highest place (z'.e., become eminent).
But if one cannot improve (profit) oneself, how can
such an one benefit others ; and, on the other hand,
what desire (vow) may not be accomplished when
oneself is able to lord it rightly over oneself ? That
1 Compare ver. 157 of the Pali.