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Dhammapada 100–115

Sahassavagga

8. The Thousands · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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

Better than a thousand meaningless sayings is a single meaningful saying, hearing which brings you peace.

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

Better than a thousand meaningless verses is a single meaningful verse, hearing which brings you peace.

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

Better than reciting a hundred meaningless verses is a single saying of Dhamma, hearing which brings you peace.

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

The supreme conqueror is not he who conquers a million men in battle, but he who conquers a single man: himself.

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

It is surely better to conquer oneself than all those other folk. When a person has tamed themselves, always living restrained,

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

no god nor centaur, nor Māra nor divinity, can undo the victory of such a personage.

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

Rather than a thousandfold sacrifice, every month for a full century, it’s better to honor for a single hour one who has developed themselves. That offering is better than the hundred year sacrifice.

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

Rather than serve the sacred flame in the forest for a hundred years, it’s better to honor for a single hour a personage who has developed themselves. That offering is better than the hundred year sacrifice.

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

Whatever sacrifice or offering in the world a seeker of merit may make for a year, none of it is worth a quarter of bowing to the sincere.

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

For one in the habit of bowing, always honoring the elders, four blessings grow: lifespan, beauty, happiness, and strength.

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

Better to live a single day ethical and absorbed in meditation than to live a hundred years unethical and lacking immersion.

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

Better to live a single day wise and absorbed in meditation than to live a hundred years witless and lacking immersion.

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

Better to live a single day energetic and strong, than to live a hundred years lazy and lacking energy.

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

Better to live a single day seeing rise and fall than to live a hundred years blind to rise and fall.

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

Better to live a single day seeing the state free of death than to live a hundred years blind to the state free of death.

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

Better to live a single day seeing the supreme teaching than to live a hundred years blind to the supreme teaching.

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