'A Lamp unto yourself'...

"Therefore, O Ananda, be ye lamps unto yourselves. Rely on yourselves, and do
not rely on external help. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Seek salvation
alone in the truth. Look not for assistance to any one besides yourselves.

"And how, Ananda, can a brother be a lamp unto himself, rely on himself only and
not on any external help, holding fast to the truth as his lamp and seeking
salvation in the truth alone, looking not for assistance to any one besides
himself? Herein, O Ananda, let a brother, as he dwells in the body, so regard
the body that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the
world, overcome the grief which arises from the body's cravings. While subject
to sensations let him continue so to regard the sensations that he, being
strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief
which arises from the sensations. And so, also, when he thinks or reasons, or
feels, let him so regard his thoughts that being strenuous, thoughtful and
mindful he may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from the
craving due to ideas, or to reasoning, or to feeling.

"Those who, either now or after I am dead, shall be lamps unto themselves,
relying upon themselves only and not relying upon any external help, but holding
fast to the truth as their lamp, and seeking their salvation in the truth alone,
and shall not look for assistance to any one besides themselves, it is they,
Ananda, among my bhikkhus, who shall reach the very topmost height! But they
must be anxious to learn."

Paul Carus
"The Buddha's Farewell"
_Buddha, The Gospel_
Chicago: The Open Court Publishing Company, 1894
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg94.htm