“Bhikkhus, there are these three |authorities::determining factors, powers [ādhipateyya]|. What three? Having oneself as one‘s authority, taking the world as one’s authority, and taking the Dhamma as one‘s authority.”
1) And what bhikkhus, is having oneself as one’s authority? Here, bhikkhus, having gone to the |forest::remoteness [arañña]|, to the foot of a tree, or to an |empty dwelling::uninhabited place, a physical home devoid of a self, e.g. a hut, a cave, forest [suññāgāra]|, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘I have not gone forth from the household life into homelessness for the sake of a robe, alms food, or lodging, or for becoming this or that, but rather with the thought: “I am |immersed in::affected by, afflicted with [otiṇṇa]| birth, aging, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering |can be discerned::can become evident [paññāyetha]|.” If I were to seek again the same sensual pleasures I renounced, or even worse ones, that would not be |proper::appropriate, fitting [patirūpa]| for me.’ He then reflects thus: ‘My energy will be aroused, not sluggish; my |mindfulness::clear comprehension and full awareness of body, felt experiences, mind, and mental qualities [sati]| will be established, not confused; my body will be |tranquil::peaceful, calm [santa]|, |without agitation::without arousal, without excitement [asāraddha]|; my mind will be |collected::composed, settled [samāhita]| and |unified::with oneness, integrated, well-composed [ekagga]|.’ Thus, making himself his own authority, he abandons the unwholesome and |develops::cultivates [bhāveti]| the wholesome, abandons what is blameworthy and develops what is blameless, and maintains himself in purity. This, bhikkhus, is called having oneself as one‘s authority.
2) And what, bhikkhus, is taking the world as one’s authority? Here, bhikkhus, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘I have not gone forth from the household life into homelessness for the sake of a robe, alms food, or lodging, or for becoming this or that, but rather with the thought: “I am immersed in birth, aging, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be discerned. Having gone forth from the household life into homelessness, I might think sensual thoughts, thoughts of ill-will, or thoughts of harming. But the population of the world is vast. In the vast population of the world, there are ascetics and brahmins |with psychic abilities::possessing psychic powers, supernormal abilities [iddhimant]|, who have the divine eye, and who know the minds of others. They would know me thus:
’See this son of a good family who, having gone forth from the household life into homelessness out of faith, now dwells entangled in unwholesome, |harmful::injurious, destructive, bad, or evil [pāpaka]| qualities.‘ There are deities, too, with psychic abilities, who have the divine eye, and 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:
’See this son of a good family who, having gone forth from the household life into homelessness out of faith, now dwells entangled in unwholesome, harmful qualities.‘ He then reflects thus: ’My energy will be aroused, not sluggish; my mindfulness will be established, not confused; my body will be tranquil, without agitation; my mind will be collected and unified.‘ Thus, taking the world as his authority, he abandons the unwholesome and develops the wholesome, abandons what is blameworthy and develops what is blameless, and maintains himself in purity. This, bhikkhus, is called taking the world as one’s authority.
3) And what, bhikkhus, is taking the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| as one‘s authority? Here, bhikkhus, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ’I have not gone forth from the household life into homelessness for the sake of a robe, alms food, or lodging, or for becoming this or that, but rather with the thought: ”I am immersed in birth, aging, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be discerned.” The Dhamma has been well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting inspection, inviting one to come and see, applicable, and to be personally realized by the wise. There are spiritual companions of mine who dwell knowing and seeing. As one who has gone forth from the household life into homelessness in this well-expounded Dhamma and |discipline::code of monastic discipline rules, training [vinaya]|, if I were to dwell |with laziness::procrastinating, inactive, indolently [kusīta]| and |negligence::inattentiveness, carelessness [pamatta]|, that would not be proper for me.‘ He then reflects thus: ’My energy will be aroused, not sluggish; my mindfulness will be established, not confused; my body will be tranquil, without agitation; my mind will be collected and unified.‘ Thus, taking the Dhamma as his authority, he abandons the unwholesome and develops the wholesome, abandons what is blameworthy and develops what is blameless, and maintains himself in purity. This, bhikkhus, is called taking the Dhamma as one’s authority.
These, bhikkhus, are the three authorities.
Verse
There is no such thing as |secrecy::secret location, privacy, hidden [raho]| in the world,
for one who commits |evil deeds::unwholesome actions, harmful actions, misconduct [pāpakammā]|;
Your own self knows, O person,
whether it is true or false.
Indeed sir, you the knower,
|look down on::have contempt for, be condescending to [atimaññati]| your good self;
For when evil is present within you,
you conceal it within yourself.
Deities and Realized Ones see,
the immature person acting unsuitably in the world;
Therefore, having oneself as one‘s authority,
taking the world as one’s authority, the discerning one, the meditator;
taking the Dhamma as one’s authority and practicing accordingly,
does not decline—for the sage |strives for the truth::perseveres honestly, firmly strives [saccaparakkama]|.
Having overcome |Māra::embodiment of all forces that keeps beings trapped in the cycle of rebirth [māra]| and conquering death,
one who, through effort, has attained the |wearing away of rebirth::extinction of rebirth [jātikkhaya]|;
Such a sage, of great wisdom, a knower of the world,
is |not identified with::not fashioned by, not constructed by [atammaya]| anything at all.