1"Bhikkhus, there are these three authorities. What three? Oneself as one's authority, the world as one's authority, and the Dhamma as one's authority. [n.398] In Pāli: attādhipateyyaṁ lokādhipateyyaṁ dhammādhipateyyaṁ. Although Bucknell (2004) does not list a Chinese parallel of this sutta, by chance I recently discovered a parallel cited in the *Śāriputrābhidharmaśāstra, at T XXVIII 679c22 –680a27. While the prose portion there is simpler than that of the Pāli, the two convey essentially the same meaning. Their verses, with the exception of the last, also closely correspond.

(1) "And what, bhikkhus, is oneself as one's authority? Here, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘I did not go forth from the household life into homelessness for the sake of a robe, almsfood, or lodging, or for the sake of becoming this or that, [n.399] Na itibhavābhavahetu. Mp takes the long vowel connecting the two occurrences of bhava to signify repetition, not negation: "Not for the sake of this or that prosperous future state of existence, (wishing): ‘(Let me obtain) such an existence (or) such an existence’" (iti bhavo, iti bhavo ti evaṁ āyatiṁ na tassa tassa sampattibhavassa hetu). but rather with the thought: "I am immersed in birth, old age, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, dejection, and anguish. I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be discerned." As one who has gone forth from the household life into homelessness, it would not be proper for me to seek out sensual pleasures similar to or worse than those that I have discarded.’ He then reflects thus: ‘Energy will be aroused in me without slackening; mindfulness will be established without confusion; my body will be tranquil without disturbance; my mind will be concentrated and one-pointed.’ Having taken himself as his authority, he abandons the unwholesome and develops the wholesome; he abandons what is blameworthy and develops what is blameless; he maintains himself in purity. This is called oneself as one's authority.

(2) "And what, bhikkhus, is the world as one's authority? Here, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘I did not go forth from the household life into homelessness for the sake of a robe … but rather with the thought: "I am immersed in birth, old age, and death … Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be discerned." As one who has gone forth from the household life into homelessness, I might think sensual thoughts, thoughts of ill will, or thoughts of harming. But the abode of the world is vast. In the vast abode of the world there are ascetics and brahmins with psychic potency and the divine eye who know the minds of others. They see things from a distance but they are not themselves seen even when they’re close; they know the minds of others with their own mind. They would know me thus: "Look at this clansman: though he has gone forth from the household life into homelessness out of faith, he is tarnished by bad unwholesome states." There are deities, too, with psychic potency and the divine eye who know the minds of others. They see even from a distance but are not seen themselves even when close; they too know the minds of others with their own mind. They too would know me thus: "Look at this clansman: though he has gone forth from the household life into homelessness out of faith, he is tarnished by bad unwholesome states."’ He then reflects thus: ‘Energy will be aroused in me without slackening; mindfulness will be established without confusion; my body will be tranquil without disturbance; my mind will be concentrated and one-pointed.’ Having taken the world as his authority, he abandons the unwholesome and develops the wholesome; he abandons what is blameworthy and develops what is blameless; he maintains himself in purity. This is called the world as one's authority.

3(3) "And what, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma as one's authority? Here, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘I did not go forth from the household life into homelessness for the sake of a robe … but rather with the thought: "I am immersed in birth, old age, and death … Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be discerned." The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise. There are fellow monks of mine who know and see. As one who has gone forth from the household life into homelessness in this well-expounded Dhamma and discipline, it would be improper for me to be lazy and heedless.’ He then reflects thus: ‘Energy will be aroused in me without slackening; mindfulness will be established without confusion; my body will be tranquil without disturbance; my mind will be concentrated and one-pointed.’ Having taken the Dhamma as his authority, he abandons the unwholesome and develops the wholesome; he abandons what is blameworthy and develops what is blameless; he maintains himself in purity. This is called the Dhamma as one's authority.

"These, bhikkhus, are the three authorities."

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4For one performing an evil deed
there is no place in the world called "hidden."
The self within you knows, O person,
whether it is true or false. [n.400] Attā te purisa jānāti saccaṁ vā yadi vā musā. Mp: "You yourself know, of whatever you do, whether it is of this or that nature. For this reason, it should be understood that, for one who does an evil deed, there is no place in the world that can be called ‘hidden.’"

5Indeed, sir, you the witness
despise your good self;
you conceal the evil self
existing within yourself. [n.401] The Pāli is obscure here and Mp is not particularly helpful in resolving the difficulty. The Chinese parallel (at 680a20 –21, but following the Song, Yuan, Ming reading) has: ---. This conveys a somewhat different point, which I would render: "One who says ‘It is not false’ is better, for then one does not damage oneself. If a transgression exists and one knows it, do not conceal it."

6The devas and Tathāgatas see the fool
acting unrighteously in the world.
Therefore one should fare mindfully,
taking oneself as authority;
alert and meditative, taking the world as authority;
and fare in accordance with the Dhamma,
taking the Dhamma as authority.
Truly exerting himself, a sage does not decline.

7Having vanquished Māra
and overcome the end-maker,
the striver has finished with birth.
Such a sage, wise, a world-knower,
identifies with nothing at all. [n.402] The Chinese (at 680a26 –27) is quite different. I would render: "Having discarded and abandoned the six sense faculties, he ends suffering and does not take (another) existence. Having passed away, he does not come back, being forever freed from birth and death."

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1"Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, ādhipateyyāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Attādhipateyyaṁ, lokādhipateyyaṁ, dhammādhipateyyaṁ.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, attādhipateyyaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘Na kho panāhaṁ cīvarahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Na piṇḍapātahetu, na senāsanahetu, na itibhavābhavahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Api ca khomhi otiṇṇo jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto. Appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethāti. Ahañceva kho pana yādisake kāme ohāya agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito tādisake vā kāme pariyeseyyaṁ tato vā pāpiṭṭhatare, na metaṁ patirūpan’ti. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘āraddhaṁ kho pana me vīriyaṁ bhavissati asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggan’ti. So attānaṁyeva adhipatiṁ karitvā akusalaṁ pajahati, kusalaṁ bhāveti, sāvajjaṁ pajahati, anavajjaṁ bhāveti, suddhaṁ attānaṁ pariharati. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, attādhipateyyaṁ.

2Katamañca, bhikkhave, lokādhipateyyaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘Na kho panāhaṁ cīvarahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Na piṇḍapātahetu, na senāsanahetu, na itibhavābhavahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Api ca khomhi otiṇṇo jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto. Appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. Ahañceva kho pana evaṁ pabbajito samāno kāmavitakkaṁ vā vitakkeyyaṁ, byāpādavitakkaṁ vā vitakkeyyaṁ, vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ vā vitakkeyyaṁ, mahā kho panāyaṁ lokasannivāso. Mahantasmiṁ kho pana lokasannivāse santi samaṇabrāhmaṇā iddhimanto dibbacakkhukā paracittaviduno. Te dūratopi passanti, āsannāpi na dissanti, cetasāpi cittaṁ pajānanti. Tepi maṁ evaṁ jāneyyuṁ: ‘passatha, bho, imaṁ kulaputtaṁ saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito samāno vokiṇṇo viharati pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehī’ti. Devatāpi kho santi iddhimantiniyo dibbacakkhukā paracittaviduniyo. Tā dūratopi passanti, āsannāpi na dissanti, cetasāpi cittaṁ jānanti. Tāpi maṁ evaṁ jāneyyuṁ: ‘passatha, bho, imaṁ kulaputtaṁ saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito samāno vokiṇṇo viharati pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehī’ti. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘āraddhaṁ kho pana me vīriyaṁ bhavissati asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggan’ti. So lokaṁyeva adhipatiṁ karitvā akusalaṁ pajahati, kusalaṁ bhāveti, sāvajjaṁ pajahati, anavajjaṁ bhāveti, suddhaṁ attānaṁ pariharati. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, lokādhipateyyaṁ.

3Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhammādhipateyyaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘Na kho panāhaṁ cīvarahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Na piṇḍapātahetu, na senāsanahetu, na itibhavābhavahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Api ca khomhi otiṇṇo jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto. Appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethāti. Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhīti. Santi kho pana me sabrahmacārī jānaṁ passaṁ viharanti. Ahañceva kho pana evaṁ svākkhāte dhammavinaye pabbajito samāno kusīto vihareyyaṁ pamatto, na metaṁ assa patirūpan’ti. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘āraddhaṁ kho pana me vīriyaṁ bhavissati asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggan’ti. So dhammaṁyeva adhipatiṁ karitvā akusalaṁ pajahati, kusalaṁ bhāveti, sāvajjaṁ pajahati, anavajjaṁ bhāveti, suddhaṁ attānaṁ pariharati. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhammādhipateyyaṁ.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi ādhipateyyānīti.

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4Natthi loke raho nāma,
pāpakammaṁ pakubbato;
Attā te purisa jānāti,
saccaṁ vā yadi vā musā.

5Kalyāṇaṁ vata bho sakkhi,
attānaṁ atimaññasi;
Yo santaṁ attani pāpaṁ,
attānaṁ parigūhasi.

6Passanti devā ca tathāgatā ca,
Lokasmiṁ bālaṁ visamaṁ carantaṁ;
Tasmā hi attādhipateyyako ca,
Lokādhipo ca nipako ca jhāyī;
Dhammādhipo ca anudhammacārī,
Na hīyati saccaparakkamo muni.

7Pasayha māraṁ abhibhuyya antakaṁ,
Yo ca phusī jātikkhayaṁ padhānavā;
So tādiso lokavidū sumedho,
Sabbesu dhammesu atammayo munī"ti.

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Dasamaṁ.
Devadūtavaggo catuttho.

8Brahma ānanda sāriputto,
Nidānaṁ hatthakena ca;
Dūtā duve ca rājāno,
Sukhumālādhipateyyena cāti.