Buddha’s Last Dying Words Are the Ultimate Self-Help Advice
“Be a lamp unto yourself. ”
On the evening he died, the Buddha delivered his final, but one of his most powerful teachings for generations to come.
As recounted by many historians, he gathered with his monks encouraging them to continue practicing everything he taught them long after he was gone.
His words, translated into modern English: “I was only able to point the way for you.”
He furthered: “All individual things pass away. Strive on with diligence.”
He also told them: “Be a lamp unto yourself, be a refuge to yourself. Take yourself to no external refuge.”
Essentially, he was telling them that he himself and his teachings were not the source of well-being, peace, and wisdom. Instead, he reminded them that to become fully free, they needed to find the truth for themselves and within themselves.
In her book True Refuge, Buddhist meditation teacher and psychologist Tara Brach puts it like this:
“In his last words, the Buddha was urging us to see this truth: although you may search the world over trying to find it, your ultimate refuge is none other than your own being.”
