Today's Vedika insight
28 September 2026 · Dhammapada 160
Attā hi attano nātho, ko hi nātho paro siyā; attanā hi sudantena, nāthaṃ labhati dullabhaṃ.
attā hi attano nātho | ko hi nātho paro siyā | attanā hi sudantena | nāthaṃ labhati dullabhaṃ || 160 ||
“Oneself is indeed one’s own protector; who else could the protector be? With oneself well trained, one gains a protector difficult to obtain.”
Vedika literal rendering; Pāli checked against the Dhammapada text at SuttaCentral.
“Self-reliance here is trained, not assumed: ethical and mental discipline gradually make the mind a trustworthy protector.”
Dhammapada 160
Vedika commentary
We often ask whether we feel confident. A better question is whether our repeated choices make us dependable to ourselves—especially when motivation falls.
Vedika distinguishes the original Sanskrit, a literal rendering, and an interpretive paraphrase so that the words of the text are never confused with explanation.
Source
Dhammapada 160
Traditional commentary
Theravāda Dhammapada tradition
Explanation
Vedika