The Dhammapada
Chapter Eight -- The Thousands
- Better than a thousand useless words is one
useful word,
hearing which one attains peace.
- Better than a thousand useless verses is one
useful verse, hearing which one attains peace.
- Better than reciting a hundred meaningless
verses is the reciting of one verse of Dhamma,
hearing which one attains peace.
- Though one may conquer a thousand times
a thousand people in battle, yet one indeed is
the noblest victor who conquers oneself.
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 such a person who is self-subdued and ever
restrained in conduct.
- 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 developed mind, that honour 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
developed mind, 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 blessings 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.
useful word, hearing which one attains peace.
useful verse, hearing which one attains peace.
verses is the reciting of one verse of Dhamma,
hearing which one attains peace.
a thousand people in battle, yet one indeed is
the noblest victor who conquers oneself.
years one should offer sacrifices by the thousands,
yet if only for a moment one should worship those
of developed mind, that honour is indeed better
than a century of sacrifice.
tend the sacrificial fire in the forest, yet if only
for a moment one should worship those of
developed mind, that worship is indeed better
than a century of sacrifice.
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.
the elders, these four blessings accrue: long life
and beauty, happiness and power.
meditative than to live a hundred years immoral
and uncontrolled.
than to live a hundred years foolish and uncontrolled.
resolute than to live a hundred years sluggish
and dissipated.
and fall of things than to live a hundred years
without ever seeing the rise and fall of things.
Deathless than to live a hundred years without
ever seeing the Deathless.
Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years without
ever seeing the Supreme Truth.
