Better Than a Thousand

Chapter 8 of the Dhammapada

Better than a thousand useless words is One single word that gives peace.

Better than a thousand useless verses is One single verse that gives peace.

Better than a hundred useless poems is one single poem that gives peace.

If a man should conquer in battle a thousand and a thousand more, and another man should conquer himself, his would be the greater victory because the greatest Of victories is the victory over oneself; and neither the gods in heaven above nor the demons down below can turn into defeat the victory of such a man.

If month after month with a thousand offerings for a hundred years one should sacrifice; and another only for a moment paid reverence to a self-conquering man, this moment would have greater value than a hundred years of offerings.

If a man for a hundred years should worship the sacred fire in the forest; and if another only for a moment paid reverence to a self-conquering man, this reverence alone would be greater than a hundred years of worship.

Whatever a man for a year may offer in worship or in gifts to earn merit is not worth a fraction of the merit earned by ones reverence to a righteous man. And whosoever honours in reverence those who are old in virtue and holiness, he indeed conquers four treasures: long life, and health, and power and joy.

Better than a hundred years lived in vice, without contemplation, is one single day of life lived in virtue and in deep contemplation.

Better than a hundred years lived in ignorance, without contemplation, is one single day of life lived in wisdom and in deep contemplation.

Better than a hundred years lived in idleness and in weakness is a single day of life lived with courage and powerful striving.

Better than a hundred years not considering how all things arise and pass away is one single day of life if one considers how all things arise and pass away.

Better than a hundred years not seeing one’s own immortality is one single day of life if one sees one’s own immortality.

Better than a hundred years not seeing the Path supreme is one single day of life if one sees the Path supreme.