The Thousands
"Chapter VIII - The Thousands
Even though a speech be composed of a thousand words, but words without sense, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears he becomes quiet.
Even though a stanza be composed of a thousand words but words without sense, one word of a stanza is better which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.
Though a man recite a hundred stanzas made up of senseless words, one word of the Law is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.
If one man conquer in battle a thousand times a thousand men, and if another conquers himself, he is the greatest of conquerors.
One's own self conquered is better than the conquest of all other people; not even a god or a demi-god or Mara with Brahma can change into defeat the victory of a man who has vanquished himself.
If a man for a hundred years sacrifice month after month at the cost of a thousand pieces of money, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded in true knowledge, better is that homage than a sacrifice for a thousand years.
If a man for a hundred years tend the sacrificial fire in the forest, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded in true knowledge, better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.
Whatever a man sacrifices in this world as an offering or as an oblation for a whole year in order to gain merit - all this is not worth the fourth part of that better offering, reverence for the upright.
If a man has the habit of reverence and ever respects the aged, four things will increase to him: life, beauty, happiness, power.
But whoso lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained - a life of one day is better if a man is virtuous and thoughtful.
And whoso lives a hundred years, foolish and uncontrolled - a life of one day is better if a man is wise and thoughtful.
And whoso lives a hundred years idle and weak - a life of one day is better if a man has attained firmness and strength.
And whoso lives a hundred years not seeing beginning and end - a life of one day is better if a man sees beginning and end.
And whoso lives a hundred years not seeing the immortal place - a life of one day is better if a man sees the immortal place.
And whoso lives a hundred years, not seeing the highest law - a life of one day is better if a man sees the highest law."
- The Dhammapada
Even though a speech be composed of a thousand words, but words without sense, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears he becomes quiet.
Even though a stanza be composed of a thousand words but words without sense, one word of a stanza is better which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.
Though a man recite a hundred stanzas made up of senseless words, one word of the Law is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.
If one man conquer in battle a thousand times a thousand men, and if another conquers himself, he is the greatest of conquerors.
One's own self conquered is better than the conquest of all other people; not even a god or a demi-god or Mara with Brahma can change into defeat the victory of a man who has vanquished himself.
If a man for a hundred years sacrifice month after month at the cost of a thousand pieces of money, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded in true knowledge, better is that homage than a sacrifice for a thousand years.
If a man for a hundred years tend the sacrificial fire in the forest, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded in true knowledge, better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.
Whatever a man sacrifices in this world as an offering or as an oblation for a whole year in order to gain merit - all this is not worth the fourth part of that better offering, reverence for the upright.
If a man has the habit of reverence and ever respects the aged, four things will increase to him: life, beauty, happiness, power.
But whoso lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained - a life of one day is better if a man is virtuous and thoughtful.
And whoso lives a hundred years, foolish and uncontrolled - a life of one day is better if a man is wise and thoughtful.
And whoso lives a hundred years idle and weak - a life of one day is better if a man has attained firmness and strength.
And whoso lives a hundred years not seeing beginning and end - a life of one day is better if a man sees beginning and end.
And whoso lives a hundred years not seeing the immortal place - a life of one day is better if a man sees the immortal place.
And whoso lives a hundred years, not seeing the highest law - a life of one day is better if a man sees the highest law."
- The Dhammapada
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