- Better than a thousand useless words is one useful word, hearing which one attains peace.
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Better than a thousand useless verses is one useful verse, hearing which one attains peace.
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Better than reciting a hundred meaningless verses is the reciting of one verse of Dhamma, hearing which one attains peace.
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Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself.
104-105. Self-conquest is far better than the conquest of others. Not even a god, an angel, Mara or Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of a person who is self-subdued and ever restrained in conduct. [12]
- Though 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.
Though 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.
Whatever 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.
To one ever eager to revere and serve the elders, these four blessing accrue: long life and beauty, happiness and power.
Better it is to live one day virtuous and meditative than to live a hundred years immoral and uncontrolled.
Better it is to live one day wise and meditative than to live a hundred years foolish and uncontrolled.
Better it is to live one day strenuous and resolute than to live a hundred years sluggish and dissipated.
Better 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.
Better it is to live one day seeing the Deathless than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Deathless.
Better it is to live one day seeing the Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Supreme Truth.
“Sahassavagga: The Thousands” (Dhp VIII), translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013.
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100-102
Better
than if there were thousands
of meaningless words is
one
meaningful
word
that on hearing
brings peace.
Better
than if there were thousands
of meaningless verses is
one
meaningful
verse
that on hearing
brings peace.
And better than chanting hundreds
of meaningless verses is
one
Dhamma-saying
that on hearing
brings peace.
103-105
Greater in battle
than the man who would conquer
a thousand-thousand men,
is he who would conquer
just one —
himself.
Better to conquer yourself
than others.
When you’ve trained yourself,
living in constant self-control,
neither a deva nor gandhabba,
nor a Mara banded with Brahmas,
could turn that triumph
back into defeat.
106-108
You could, month by month,
at a cost of thousands,
conduct sacrifices
a hundred times,
or
pay a single moment’s homage
to one person,
self-cultivated.
Better than a hundred years of sacrifices
would that act of homage be.
You could, for a hundred years,
live in a forest
tending a fire,
or
pay a single moment’s homage
to one person,
self-cultivated.
Better than a hundred years of sacrifices
would that act of homage be.
Everything offered
or sacrificed in the world
for an entire year by one seeking merit
doesn’t come to a fourth.
Better to pay respect
to those who’ve gone
the straight way.
109
If you’re respectful by habit,
constantly honoring the worthy,
four things increase:
long life, beauty,
happiness, strength.
110-115
Better than a hundred years
lived without virtue, uncentered, is
one day
lived by a virtuous person
absorbed in jhana.
And better than a hundred years
lived undiscerning, uncentered, is
one day
lived by a discerning person
absorbed in jhana.
And better than a hundred years
lived apathetic & unenergetic, is
one day
lived energetic & firm.
And better than a hundred years
lived without seeing
arising & passing away, is
one day
lived seeing
arising & passing away.
And better than a hundred years
lived without seeing
the Deathless state, is
one day
lived seeing
the Deathless state.
And better than a hundred years
lived without seeing
the ultimate Dhamma, is
one day
lived seeing
the ultimate Dhamma.
“Sahassavagga: Thousands” (Dhp VIII), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013.
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