Self Poem by Gautama Buddha

Self

Rating: 5.0


If a person holds oneself dear,
let one watch oneself carefully.
The wise should be watchful
during at least one of the three watches.

Let each person first direct oneself to what is right;
then let one teach others; thus the wise will not suffer.
If a person makes oneself as one teaches others to be,
then being well-controlled, that one might guide others,
since self-control is difficult.

Self is the master of self;
who else could be the master?
With self well-controlled
a person finds a master such as few can find.

The wrong done by oneself, born of oneself,
produced by oneself, crushes the fool,
just as a diamond breaks even a precious stone.
The one whose vice is great brings oneself down
to that condition where one's enemy wishes one to be,
just as a creeper overpowers the entangled sala tree.
Bad actions and actions harmful to ourselves are easy to do;
what is beneficial and good, that is very difficult to do.

The fool who scorns the teaching of the saintly,
the noble, and the virtuous, and follows wrong ideas,
bears fruit to one's own destruction,
like the fruits of the katthaka reed.

By oneself is wrong done; by oneself one suffers;
by oneself is wrong left undone; by oneself is one purified.
Purity and impurity come from oneself;
no one can purify another.

Let no one neglect one's own duty
for the sake of another's, however great;
let a person after one has discerned one's own duty,
be always attentive to this duty.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Edward Kofi Louis 17 September 2017

Watch oneself carefully! ! With righteous morals! With peace and love. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

3 9 Reply
Subhas Chandra Chakra 17 September 2017

Purity and impurity come from oneself; no one can purify another. True to the core of the words. Thanks for putting it on Poem Hunter. 10

5 0 Reply
Jayatissa K. Liyanage 17 September 2017

For anything, there can not be two truths; Always, there only one truth. This is it about life. Both good as well as bad are within self.Thanks for sharing the philosophical message.

1 3 Reply
Lantz Pierre 17 September 2017

Whatever the value of the wisdom expressed here the poetic value is nearly bankrupt. A sermon devoid of music, metaphor or an enveloping atmosphere of aesthetic transference. I'm sympathetic to the content but not impressed by the handling of the vehicle.

3 1 Reply
Savita Tyagi 17 September 2017

In eastern philosophical thought search for divine started with search for self. These finest thoughts became basis for a virtuous and productive gentry. Lord Buddha's insights were one of the greatest. Thanks for putting it on.

3 0 Reply
MAHTAB BANGALEE 26 January 2021

Purity and impurity come from oneself; no one can purify another.......greatest verse of self purification; salute to the great Buddha

0 0 Reply
Kumarmani Mahakul 07 April 2020

Freedom of poetic imaginations had motivated the person who took birth. Buddhist wisdom had given immense knowledge. Blooming lotus pond had greeted. Memorable perception of the past is highlighted and this poem is very interestingly penned. A person should feel self. This poem is deeply philosophical...10

0 0 Reply
charlie 02 April 2019

i dont believe btw........................

0 0 Reply
Subhas Chandra Chakra 23 September 2017

Let no one neglect one's own duty for the sake of another's, however great; let a person after one has discerned one's own duty, be always attentive to this duty. Nice poem, a great teacher, you are.

0 0 Reply
Geeta Radhakrishna Menon 17 September 2017

Self is the master of self; who else could be the master? With self well-controlled a person finds a master such as few can find. A great poem of Gautama Buddha! I bow down with humility. Thank you for posting this wonderful philosophy of Buddha - the enlightened One!

1 0 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Gautama Buddha

Gautama Buddha

Lumbini / Indian Sub. (today in Nepal)
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