162 15. THE TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA
The Udána states: “Just as, O bhikkhus, the mighty ocean is of one
flavour, the flavour of salt, even so, O bhikkhus, this Dhamma is of one
flavour, the flavour of deliverance (vimutti).^263
This is the means of deliverance.
This sublime Dhamma is not something apart from oneself. It is
purely dependent on oneself and is to be realised by oneself. As such the
Buddha exhorts:^264
Attadìpá viharatha attapaþisáraná.
Abide with oneself as an island,
with oneself as a refuge.
Dhammadìpá viharatha, dhammapaþisaraóá,
n’áñña patisaraná
Abide with the Dhamma as an island,
with the Dhamma as a refuge.
Seek not for external refuge.
- p. 67
- Parinibbána Sutta; see Chapter 14 above.