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Khuddaka Nikāya - The Minor Texts

Dhammapada - Chapter 8: Sahassavagga - The Thousands

100Better than a thousand useless words is one useful word, hearing which one attains peace.

100Sahassamapi ce vācā,
anatthapadasaṁhitā;
Ekaṁ atthapadaṁ seyyo,
yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

101Better than a thousand useless verses is one useful verse, hearing which one attains peace.

101Sahassamapi ce gāthā,
anatthapadasaṁhitā;
Ekaṁ gāthāpadaṁ seyyo,
yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

102Better than reciting a hundred meaningless verses is the reciting of one verse of Dhamma, hearing which one attains peace.

103Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself.

102Yo ca gāthā sataṁ bhāse,
anatthapadasaṁhitā;
Ekaṁ dhammapadaṁ seyyo,
yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

103Yo sahassaṁ sahassena,
saṅgāme mānuse jine;
Ekañca jeyyamattānaṁ,
sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo.

104–105 Self-conquest is far better than the conquest of others. Not even a god, an angel, Māra or Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of a person who is self-subdued and ever restrained in conduct.

104Attā have jitaṁ seyyo,
yā cāyaṁ itarā pajā;
Attadantassa posassa,
niccaṁ saññatacārino.

105Neva devo na gandhabbo,
na māro saha brahmunā;
Jitaṁ apajitaṁ kayirā,
tathārūpassa jantuno.

106Though month after month for a hundred years one should offer sacrifices by the thousands, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds that honor is indeed better than a century of sacrifice.

106Māse māse sahassena,
yo yajetha sataṁ samaṁ;
Ekañca bhāvitattānaṁ,
muhuttamapi pūjaye;
Sāyeva pūjanā seyyo,
yañce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.

107Though for a hundred years one should tend the sacrificial fire in the forest, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds, that worship is indeed better than a century of sacrifice.

107Yo ca vassasataṁ jantu,
aggiṁ paricare vane;
Ekañca bhāvitattānaṁ,
muhuttamapi pūjaye;
Sāyeva pūjanā seyyo,
yañce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.

108Whatever gifts and oblations one seeking merit might offer in this world for a whole year, all that is not worth one fourth of the merit gained by revering the Upright Ones, which is truly excellent.

108Yaṁ kiñci yiṭṭhaṁ va hutaṁ va loke,
Saṁvaccharaṁ yajetha puññapekkho;
Sabbampi taṁ na catubhāgameti,
Abhivādanā ujjugatesu seyyo.

109To one ever eager to revere and serve the elders, these four blessing accrue: long life and beauty, happiness and power.

109Abhivādanasīlissa,
niccaṁ vuḍḍhāpacāyino;
Cattāro dhammā vaḍḍhanti,
āyu vaṇṇo sukhaṁ balaṁ.

110Better it is to live one day virtuous and meditative than to live a hundred years immoral and uncontrolled.

110Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
dussīlo asamāhito;
Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
sīlavantassa jhāyino.

111Better it is to live one day wise and meditative than to live a hundred years foolish and uncontrolled.

111Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
duppañño asamāhito;
Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
paññavantassa jhāyino.

112Better it is to live one day strenuous and resolute than to live a hundred years sluggish and dissipated.

112Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
kusīto hīnavīriyo;
Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
vīriyamārabhato daḷhaṁ.

113Better it is to live one day seeing the rise and fall of things than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the rise and fall of things.

113Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
apassaṁ udayabbayaṁ;
Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
passato udayabbayaṁ.

114Better it is to live one day seeing the Deathless than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Deathless.

114Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
apassaṁ amataṁ padaṁ;
Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
passato amataṁ padaṁ.

115Better it is to live one day seeing the Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Supreme Truth.

115Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,
apassaṁ dhammamuttamaṁ;
Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,
passato dhammamuttamaṁ.

Sahassavaggo aṭṭhamo.