<p>In the dark, the flame of a single candle is an island of light, a refuge for those seeking light. Therefore to "be your own island" is to become like that island of light in the dark, a refuge:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Whether now or after I have passed, any who shall live as their own island, their own refuge, with no other refuge; with the teaching as their island and their refuge, with no other refuge—those mendicants of mine who want to train shall be among the best of the best.” <a href="https://suutacentral.net/sn47.13/en/sujato" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN47.13</a></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-12T19:12:50.763Z
2019-09-12T19:12:50.763Z
OyaMist
<p>In Northern Canon there is an Agama that talks about the lamp:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>It was a dark night, raining lightly, with flashes of lightning. The Buddha said to Ananda: "You can come out with the umbrella over the lamp." Ananda listened, and walked behind the Buddha, with an umbrella over the lamp. When they reached a place, the Buddha smiled. Ananda said: "The Buddha doesn’t smile without a reason. What brings the smile today?" The Buddha said: "That’s right! That’s right! The Buddha doesn’t smile without a reason. Now you are following me with an umbrella over a lamp. <strong>I look around, and see everyone doing the same thing."</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>The idea is that each of us already have our own lamp, our basic sanity aka Buddha Nature. And yet, we all follow the Buddha and want him to show us the way. </p>

<p>Instead, the Buddha says, be your own lamp, use the light which you already have. As he says in Kalama Sutta - think, what actions bring what results. See for yourself. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-11T19:58:17.713Z
2019-09-11T19:58:17.713Z
Andriy Volkov
<p>There's a footnote in <em>What the Buddha Taught</em> by Walpola Sri Rahula:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Dipa here does not mean lamp, but it definitely means 'island'. The Digha-nikaya
  Commentary (DA Colombo ed. p. 380), commenting on the word dipa here says:
  Mahasamuddagatam dipam viya attanam dipam patit/ham katvd viharatha. 'Dwell making
  yourselves an island, a support (resting place) even as an island in the great ocean.'
  Samsdra, the continuity of existence, is usually compared to an ocean, samsarasdgara, and what is required in the ocean for safety is an island, a solid land, and not
  a lamp.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-11T16:17:46.963Z
Yes Dhammapada - 238 says same.  **Make an island unto yourself! Strive hard and become wise! Rid of impurities and cleansed of
stain, you shall not come again to birth and decay.

Dhammapad - 238**
Swapnil
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-11T16:19:23.360Z
So it is message to unskillful person to be like an island. Build your own island. Thank you so much.
Swapnil
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-11T16:12:47.293Z
2019-09-11T16:12:47.293Z
ChrisW
<p><strong>Why does the sutta say "be your own island" instead of "be your own light"?</strong></p>

<p><strong>What is the significance of "be your own island"?</strong></p>

<p>If you are on an island there is no other help. Likewise one or the dharma is one's own refuge.</p>

<p>The key here is the lack of other help.</p>

<p>You can have many lights illuminating, hence does not resonate that this is the only rescue.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-11T16:04:35.573Z
I thought it is message for Monks that they live alone and restrain from all desires and self. But confusion is Bhikkhu Sujato speak about ordinary person which I didn't get.
Swapnil
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-11T15:54:18.593Z
2019-09-11T15:54:18.593Z
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
<p>There are some phrases in the suttas where it is said "be your own island".</p>

<p>The word for "island" is "<em>dvipa</em>" in Sanskrit, meanwhile "<em>dipa</em>" means "light" or "lamp" in Sanskrit. However, in Pali, "<em>dipa</em>" means both "island" and "light" / "lamp". Due to this, it is quite common for the phrase to be mistaken as "be your own light", especially among speakers of Indian languages.</p>

<p>Why does the sutta say "be your own island" instead of "be your own light"?</p>

<p>What is the significance of "be your own island"?</p>

<p>From <a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn22.43/en/sujato" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 22.43</a> (translated by Bhikkhu Sujato):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>“Mendicants, be your own island, your own refuge, with no other
  refuge. Let the teaching be your island and your refuge, with no other
  refuge.</p>
  
  <p><em>Attadīpā, bhikkhave, viharatha attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā, dhammadīpā
  dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā.</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>From <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.043.wlsh.html#fn-1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this footnote</a> by Maurice O'Connell Walshe:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>Atta-diipaa</em>. <em>Diipa</em> means both "island" (Sanskrit <em>dviipa</em>) and "lamp" (Sanskrit <em>diipa</em>), but the meaning "island" is
  well-established here. The "self" referred to is of course the
  unmetaphysical pronoun "oneself"</p>
</blockquote>

<pali-canon>
Why island and not light?
# Why island and not light?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-09-11)

There are some phrases in the suttas where it is said "be your own island".

The word for "island" is "*dvipa*" in Sanskrit, meanwhile "*dipa*" means "light" or "lamp" in Sanskrit. However, in Pali, "*dipa*" means both "island" and "light" / "lamp". Due to this, it is quite common for the phrase to be mistaken as "be your own light", especially among speakers of Indian languages.

Why does the sutta say "be your own island" instead of "be your own light"?

What is the significance of "be your own island"?

From [SN 22.43](https://suttacentral.net/sn22.43/en/sujato) (translated by Bhikkhu Sujato):

> “Mendicants, be your own island, your own refuge, with no other
> refuge. Let the teaching be your island and your refuge, with no other
> refuge.
>
> *Attadīpā, bhikkhave, viharatha attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā, dhammadīpā
> dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā.*

From [this footnote](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.043.wlsh.html#fn-1) by Maurice O'Connell Walshe:

> *Atta-diipaa*. *Diipa* means both "island" (Sanskrit *dviipa*) and "lamp" (Sanskrit *diipa*), but the meaning "island" is
> well-established here. The "self" referred to is of course the
> unmetaphysical pronoun "oneself"

**Tags:** pali-canon


---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-09-11. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

There's a footnote in *What the Buddha Taught* by Walpola Sri Rahula:

> Dipa here does not mean lamp, but it definitely means 'island'. The Digha-nikaya
> Commentary (DA Colombo ed. p. 380), commenting on the word dipa here says:
> Mahasamuddagatam dipam viya attanam dipam patit/ham katvd viharatha. 'Dwell making
> yourselves an island, a support (resting place) even as an island in the great ocean.'
> Samsdra, the continuity of existence, is usually compared to an ocean, samsarasdgara, and what is required in the ocean for safety is an island, a solid land, and not
> a lamp.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Yes Dhammapada - 238 says same.  **Make an island unto yourself! Strive hard and become wise! Rid of impurities and cleansed of stain, you shall not come again to birth and decay.  Dhammapad - 238**  
> **username_4**: So it is message to unskillful person to be like an island. Build your own island. Thank you so much.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2019-09-11. Score: 3

**Why does the sutta say "be your own island" instead of "be your own light"?**

**What is the significance of "be your own island"?**

If you are on an island there is no other help. Likewise one or the dharma is one's own refuge.

The key here is the lack of other help.

You can have many lights illuminating, hence does not resonate that this is the only rescue.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: I thought it is message for Monks that they live alone and restrain from all desires and self. But confusion is Bhikkhu Sujato speak about ordinary person which I didn't get.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-09-12. Score: 1

In the dark, the flame of a single candle is an island of light, a refuge for those seeking light. Therefore to "be your own island" is to become like that island of light in the dark, a refuge:

> Whether now or after I have passed, any who shall live as their own island, their own refuge, with no other refuge; with the teaching as their island and their refuge, with no other refuge—those mendicants of mine who want to train shall be among the best of the best.” [SN47.13](https://suutacentral.net/sn47.13/en/sujato)


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-09-11. Score: 0

In Northern Canon there is an Agama that talks about the lamp:

> It was a dark night, raining lightly, with flashes of lightning. The Buddha said to Ananda: "You can come out with the umbrella over the lamp." Ananda listened, and walked behind the Buddha, with an umbrella over the lamp. When they reached a place, the Buddha smiled. Ananda said: "The Buddha doesn’t smile without a reason. What brings the smile today?" The Buddha said: "That’s right! That’s right! The Buddha doesn’t smile without a reason. Now you are following me with an umbrella over a lamp. **I look around, and see everyone doing the same thing."**

The idea is that each of us already have our own lamp, our basic sanity aka Buddha Nature. And yet, we all follow the Buddha and want him to show us the way.

Instead, the Buddha says, be your own lamp, use the light which you already have. As he says in Kalama Sutta - think, what actions bring what results. See for yourself.


---

