Chapter 12: Self

Those who value themselves must watch themselves carefully; a wise person should maintain vigilance at least during one of the three watches (periods) of day and night.

A wise man must first direct himself toward what is proper, then teach others; this sequence prevents suffering.

One who practices what he teaches and achieves self-discipline can effectively help others, though subduing oneself is exceptionally difficult.

One must be lord of oneself, for no one else can fulfill this role; self-mastery yields a rare and valuable state.

Evil committed by oneself, originating and sustained by oneself, destroys the foolish with the force of a diamond breaking precious stone.

Excessive wickedness brings a person down to the very state his enemy desires for him, as a creeper vine weakens the tree it encircles.

Harmful and unbeneficial actions are easy to perform, while beneficial and good actions are exceptionally difficult.

The foolish person who rejects the teachings of the enlightened and virtuous, following false doctrine instead, destroys himself like the Katthaka reed bearing fruit to its own ruin.

One alone does evil and suffers for it; one alone abandons evil and purifies oneself; purity and impurity are individual matters no one else can determine.

One must not neglect one's own duty for another's sake, no matter how great; having identified one's duty, one must remain constantly attentive to it.