You yourself must make an effort. The Tathagatas (Buddhas) are only preachers.
Buddha Dhammapada, Verse 276, The Way (300 BCE) Translated by F. Max Müller
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When and why it was written
- When
- From the chapter on the way in the Dhammapada.
- Why
- The Buddha is reminding his followers that teaching only points; walking is up to them.
What it means
Even the Buddha describes himself as someone who shows the way, not someone who walks it for you.
Advice, books and apps can only point. The effort is yours, and so is what comes of it.
Our reading of the passage cited above, not a quotation from a commentary.
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Dhammapada by Traditional (Pali Canon), 300 BCE
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