During every one of the three watches the wise man should keep vigil. Let one first establish oneself in what is proper, and then instruct others. Such a wise man will not be defiled. As he instructs others so should he himself act. With oneself well controlled one obtains a saviour difficult to find.
Evil grinds the unwise as a diamond grinds a hard gem.
Just as the creeper overspreads a Sal-tree and destroys it, the man who allows his wickedness to overcome him, suffers as much as his enemy would have him suffer. Easy to do are things that are hard and not beneficial to oneself, but very, very difficult, indeed, to do is that which is beneficial and good. Whosoever rejects the words of the noble, righteous Arahants, such a fool, because of his false views, brings forth on his head ruin and destruction, like the banana-tree which dies when it has borne fruit. Purity and impurity depend on oneself. No one purifies another.