Dhammapada, Dhamma Verses (KN 2)

12: The Chapter about the Self – 67
Yassa accantadussīlyaṁ, māluvā Sālam-ivotataṁ,
The one who has an exceeding lack of virtue, like a deadly creeper covering a Sal tree,
karoti so tathattānaṁ yathā naṁ icchatī diso. [162]
makes himself the same as his enemy wishes him to be.
Sukarāni asādhūni, attano ahitāni ca,
Easily done are things not good, and unbeneficial for oneself,
yaṁ ve hitañ-ca sādhuñ-ca taṁ ve paramadukkaraṁ. [163]
but that which is beneficial and good is supremely hard to do.
Yo sāsanaṁ arahataṁ Ar i yānaṁ Dhammajīvinaṁ
* Whoever reviles the worthy teaching of the Noble Ones who live by Dhamma,
paṭikkosati dummedho diṭṭhiṁ nissāya pāpikaṁ,
that stupid one, depending on wicked views,
phalāni kaṭṭhakasseva attaghaññāya phallati. [164]
like the bamboo when it bears fruit, brings about his own destruction. 1
Attanā va kataṁ pāpaṁ, attanā saṅkilissati,
By oneself alone is a wicked deed done, by oneself is one defiled,
attanā akataṁ pāpaṁ, attanā va visujjhati,
by oneself is a wicked deed left undone, by oneself is one purified,
suddhī asuddhī paccattaṁ, nāñño aññaṁ visodhaye. [165]
purity and impurity come from oneself, (for) no one can purify another.
Atta-d-atthaṁ paratthena bahunā pi na hāpaye;
One should not neglect one’s own good for another’s, however great;
atta-d-attham-abhiññāya sa-d-atthapasuto siyā. [166]
knowing what is good for oneself one should be intent on that good.
Attavaggo Dvādasamo
The Chapter about the Self, the Twelfth
1
The bamboo flowers only after a very great length of time (often 60+ years or more), and then
dies.