- Better than a thousand unbeneficial words is one beneficial word which, having been heard, brings peace.
- Better than a thousand unbeneficial verses is one beneficial line of verse which, having been heard, brings peace.
- Better than reciting a hundred unbeneficial verses is one line of Dhamma which, having been heard, brings peace.
- Greater than a person who conquers a thousand people in battle a thousand times is the person who conquers himself in the battle of defilements.
- Certainly it is better to conquer oneself than others. The person who tames himself and always restrains sense faculties wins the battle.
- Neither a god, nor a divine musician, nor Māra, nor brahma, can turn into defeat the victory of a person who has conquered himself.
- Better than a thousand ritual sacrifices offered every month for a hundred years is one moment’s gift offered to a liberated one who has fully developed his mind.
- Better than a hundred years in the forest tending a ritual fire is one moment’s gift offered to a liberated one who has fully developed his mind.
- Whatever gift or offering a merit seeker might perform in an entire year is not worth one-fourth as much as worshipping the liberated ones.
- For the person who worships virtuous people and always reveres and serves the elders, four things increase: long life, beauty, happiness, and power.
- Better it is to live one day virtuous and meditative than to live a hundred years without virtue and stillness of mind.
- Better it is to live one day wise and meditative than to live a hundred years without wisdom and stillness of mind.
- Better it is to live one day energetic and resolute than to live a hundred years lazy and sluggish.
- Better it is to live one day seeing the arising and passing of the five groups of clinging than to live a hundred years without ever seeing their arising and passing.
- Better it is to live one day experiencing Nibbāna than to live a hundred years without ever experiencing Nibbāna.
- Better it is to live one day realizing the Supreme Dhamma than to live a hundred years without ever realizing the Supreme Dhamma.
Read this translation of Dhammapada 8 Sahassa Vagga: The Thousands (100-115) by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnananda Thero on SuttaFriends.org. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.
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