自愛身者 愼護所守 希望欲解 學正不寐 爲仁學仁 悟其忘身 仁不自惜 惜彼爲仁 己可爲師 爲師之師 未能攝己 焉能攝人
zì ài shēn zhě shèn hù suǒ shǒu xī wàng yù jiě xué zhèng bù mèi wéi rén xué rén wù qí wàng shēn rén bù zì xī xī bǐ wéi rén jǐ kě wéi shī wéi shī zhī shī wèi néng shè jǐ yān néng shè rén
Key Message
One who cannot govern themselves cannot govern others; genuine teaching always begins with unflinching self-examination and the ongoing discipline of one's own mind and conduct.
▸The Attavagga (Chapter on the Self) teaches the proper relationship to one's own person — not self-indulgence, but genuine self-care expressed as diligent self-governance.
The Attavagga (Chapter on the Self) teaches the proper relationship to one's own person — not self-indulgence, but genuine self-care expressed as diligent self-governance. One who truly loves oneself guards what is kept in the heart with care; if one hopes for liberation, one should study the correct Dhamma and be unwearying. More surprisingly, the chapter teaches that to practice benevolence (rén) is to eventually forget the self — benevolence does not cling to its own wellbeing but extends outward in care for others. Most striking is the teaching on spiritual leadership: only one who can already serve as a teacher to themselves is qualified to be a teacher of others. One who has not yet regulated themselves cannot regulate others.