Therefore, be ye lamps unto yourselves, be ye a refuge to yourselves. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp; hold fast as a refuge to the truth. Look not for refuge to anyone besides yourselves.

To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.

By defilement of mind, beings are defiled; by purification of mind, beings are purified.

Pay no attention to the faults of others, things done or left undone by others. Consider only what by oneself is done or left undone.

For those who are always courteous and respectful of elders, four things increase: life, beauty, happiness and strength.

His success may be great, but be it ever so great the wheel of fortune may turn again and bring him down into the dust.

Without approval and without scorn, but carefully studying the sentences word by word, one should trace them in the Discourses and verify them by the Discipline. If they are neither traceable in the Discourses nor verifiable by the Discipline, one must conclude thus: 'Certainly, this is not the Blessed One's utterance; this has been misunderstood by that bhikkhu - or by that community, or by those elders, or by that elder.' In that way, bhikkhus, you should reject it.