Thousands (DHP100-115)

Better than a thousand vacuous statements
Is one meaningful word,
Which, having been heard, brings peace.

Better than a thousand vacuous verses
Is one line of verse,
Which, having been heard, brings peace.

Better than a recitation of one hundred meaningless
verses
is one Dhamma word,
Which, having been heard, brings peace.

Greater in battle than one who conquers thousands
upon thousands
Is the one who conquers himself.

It is better to conquer oneself than others.
For the self-tamed one, ever-vigilant in self-control,

Neither a god nor a divine musician,
Nor Māra and Brahmā together,
Could turn such a victory into defeat.

Better than offering a thousand sacrifices,
Month after month for a hundred years,
Is one moment’s homage
To one who has developed himself.

Better than one hundred years dwelling in the forest
And tending the sacred fire,
Is one moment’s homage
To one who has developed himself.

Whatever offering or sacrifice in the world
A merit-seeker might offer for a year,
All this is not one-fourth the merit gained
From showing respect to the upright.

For one who is respectful,
Who constantly reveres the elders,
Four things grow: life, beauty, happiness, and
strength.

Better than living one hundred years,
Immoral and ungrounded,
Is living one day,
Virtuous and absorbed in meditation.

Better than living one hundred years,
Foolish and ungrounded,
Is living one day,
Wise and absorbed in meditation.

Better than living one hundred years,
Indolent and slothful,
Is living one day
With steadfast vigor.

Better than living one hundred years
Without seeing arising and dissipation,
Is living one day,
Seeing arising and dissipation.

Better than living one hundred years
Without seeing the deathless way,
Is living one day,
Seeing the deathless way.

Better than living one hundred years
Without seeing the supreme Dhamma,
Is living one day,
Seeing the supreme Dhamma.

© Peter Feldmeier, 2013.

First published in Dhammapada — The Way of Truth : A Fresh Translation and Commentary on Buddhism’s Most Beloved Text by Buddhist Publication Society.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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