Dhammapada Verses on Self-Discipline

“When others do not understand, let us, who do understand this, restrain ourselves in this regard; for that is how conflicts are laid to rest.”

“Those who contemplate the beautiful, their faculties unrestrained, immoderate in eating, lazy, lacking energy: Māra strikes them down like the wind, a feeble tree.”

“Those who contemplate the ugly, their faculties well-restrained, eating in moderation, faithful and energetic: Māra cannot strike them down, like the wind, a rocky mountain.”

“One who, not free of stains themselves, would wear the robe stained in ocher, bereft of self-control and truth: they are not worthy of the ocher robe.”

“One who’s purged all their stains, steady in ethics, possessed of self-control and of truth, they are truly worthy of the ocher robe.”

“For the hard-working and mindful, pure of deed and attentive, restrained, living righteously, and diligent, their reputation only grows.”

“By hard work and diligence, by restraint and by self-control, a smart person would build an island that the floods cannot overflow.”

“Don’t devote yourself to negligence, or delight in erotic intimacy. For if you’re diligent and meditate, you’ll attain abundant happiness.”

“The mind travels far, wandering alone; incorporeal, it lies hidden in the heart. Those who will restrain the mind are freed from Māra’s bonds.”

“Don’t find fault with others, with what they’ve done or left undone. You should only watch yourself, what you’ve done or left undone.”

“If while wandering you find no partner equal or better than yourself, then firmly resolve to wander alone— there’s no fellowship with fools.”

“It is surely better to conquer oneself than all those other folk. When a person has tamed themselves, always living restrained,”

“All tremble at the rod, all fear death. Treating others like oneself, neither kill nor incite to kill.”

“All tremble at the rod, all love life. Treating others like oneself, neither kill nor incite to kill.”

“If you still yourself like a broken gong, you reach extinguishment and know no conflict.”

“If one were to treat oneself as one instructs another, the well-tamed indeed would tame: for the self, it seems, is hard to tame.”

“One is indeed the lord of oneself, for who else would be one’s lord? By means of a well-tamed self, one gains a lord that’s rare indeed.”

“For the evil that is done by oneself, born and produced in oneself, grinds down a simpleton, as diamond grinds a lesser gem.”

“It’s easy to do bad things harmful to oneself, but good things that are helpful are the hardest things to do.”

“For it is by oneself that evil’s done, one is corrupted by oneself. It’s by oneself that evil’s not done, one is purified by oneself. Purity and impurity are personal matters, no one can purify another.”

“Never neglect what is good for yourself for the sake of another, however great. Knowing well what is good for yourself, be intent upon your heart’s goal.”

“Live by principle, with good conduct, don’t conduct yourself badly. For one of good conduct sleeps at ease, in this world and the next.”

“Not speaking ill nor doing harm; restraint in the monastic code; moderation in eating; staying in remote lodgings; commitment to the higher mind— this is the instruction of the Buddhas.”

“Applying yourself where you ought not, neglecting what you should be doing, forgetting your goal, you cling to what you hold dear, jealous of those devoted to their heart’s goal.”

“One accomplished in virtue and vision, firmly principled, and truthful, doing oneself what ought be done: that’s who the people love.”

“Those harmless sages, always restrained in body, go to the state that does not pass, where there is no sorrow.”

“Guard against ill-tempered deeds, be restrained in body. Giving up bad bodily conduct, conduct yourself well in body.”

“Guard against ill-tempered words, be restrained in speech. Giving up bad verbal conduct, conduct yourself well in speech.”

“Guard against ill-tempered thoughts, be restrained in mind. Giving up bad mental conduct, conduct yourself well in mind.”

“An attentive one is restrained in body restrained also in speech, in thought, too, they are restrained: they are restrained in every way.”

“Make an island of yourself! Swiftly strive, learn to be wise! Purged of stains, flawless, you’ll go to the heavenly realm of the noble ones.”

“Make an island of yourself! Swiftly strive, learn to be wise! Purged of stains, flawless, you’ll not come again to rebirth and old age.”

“Know this, my man: they are unrestrained and wicked. Don’t let that greed and unrighteousness inflict pain on you for long.”

“One who is truthful and principled, harmless, restrained, and self-controlled, attentive, purged of stains, is said to be a senior.”

“Guarded in speech, restrained in mind, doing no unskillful bodily deed. Purify these three ways of performing deeds, and win the path known to seers.”

“From meditation springs wisdom, without meditation, wisdom ends. Knowing these two paths— of progress and decline— you should conduct yourself so that wisdom grows.”

“Cut out affection for oneself, like plucking an autumn lotus. Foster only the path to peace, the extinguishment the Holy One taught.”

“Knowing the reason for this, astute, and ethically restrained, one would quickly clear the path that leads to extinguishment.”

“Many who wear a scrap of ocher cloth are unrestrained and wicked. Being wicked, they are reborn in hell due to their bad deeds.”

“It’d be better for the immoral and unrestrained to eat an iron ball, scorching, like a burning flame, than to eat the nation’s alms.”

“Delight in diligence! Take good care of your mind! Pull yourself out of this pit, like an elephant sunk in a bog.”

“Restraint of the eye is good; good is restraint of the ear; restraint of the nose is good; good is restraint of the tongue.”

“Restraint of the body is good; good is restraint of speech; restraint of mind is good; everywhere, restraint is good. The mendicant restrained everywhere is released from all suffering.”

“One restrained in hand and foot, and in speech, the supreme restraint; happy inside, serene, solitary, content, I call a mendicant.”

“When a mendicant of restrained mouth, thoughtful in counsel, not restless, explains the text and its meaning, their words are sweet.”

“This is the very start of the path for a wise mendicant here: guarding the senses, contentment, and restraint in the monastic code.”

“Urge yourself on, reflect on yourself. A mendicant self-controlled and mindful will always dwell in happiness.”

“Self is indeed the lord of self, for who else would be one’s lord? Self is indeed the home of self, so restrain yourself, as a merchant his thoroughbred steed.”

“Who does nothing wrong by body, speech or mind, restrained in these three respects, that’s who I declare a brahmin.”

“Giving up desire and discontent, they’re cooled and free of attachments; a hero, master of the whole world: that’s who I declare a brahmin.”