“One who protects oneself protects others; one who protects others protects oneself. By cultivating mindfulness and inner peace, one protects oneself; by cultivating patience, harmlessness, love, and compassion, one protects others.”
Canonical Pali Original: Attānaṃ, bhikkhave, rakkhanto paraṃ rakkhati, paraṃ rakkhanto attānaṃ rakkhati. Kathañca, bhikkhave, attānaṃ rakkhanto paraṃ rakkhati? Āsevanāya, bhāvanāya, bahulīkammena... khantiyā, avihiṃsāya, mettatāya, anuddayatāya...
— Gautam Buddha
The Awakened One, Founder of Dhamma
Delivered in the town of Sedaka in the Sumbha country, illustrating with the simile of the acrobats how personal mindfulness and social compassion are mutually dependent.