Q0301
“One is one's own refuge; who else could be the refuge?” — Dhammapada (Dhammapada 160)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Dhammapada 160. Theme: self.
English
One is one's own refuge; who else could be the refuge?
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Dhammapada 160 and files it under Early Buddhism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Dhammapada
Dhammapada appears in this archive through verified English quotations associated with the Early Buddhism tradition. Biographical certainty varies by figure and text; where the “author” is a scripture or school anthology, read the name as a traditional attribution rather than a modern individual biography.
How to read this passage
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self, responsibility.
Concepts in this quote
- Self
- Philosophy quotes about self explore identity, responsibility, and the examined life—from Socrates’ unexamined life to modern phenomenology and existential authenticity.
- Responsibility
- Responsibility asks what we answer for—our choices, omissions, institutions, and the futures we help create.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Dhammapada. (n.d.). One is one's own refuge; who else could be the refuge? In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0301
MLA: Dhammapada. “One is one's own refuge; who else could….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0301.
Chicago: Dhammapada. “One is one's own refuge; who else could….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0301.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “One is one's own refuge; who else could…”?
The passage is attributed to Dhammapada, Dhammapada 160. The archive attributes this English wording to Dhammapada 160 and files it under Early Buddhism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Dhammapada mean by self?
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self, responsibility.