{"collection":"Buddhism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bud/dhp/8.htm","path":"bud/dhp/8.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bud/dhp/8.htm","text":"Better \nthan if there were thousands\nof meaningless words is\none\nmeaningful\nword\nthat on hearing\nbrings peace.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Better \nthan if there were thousands\nof meaningless verses is\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 one\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 meaningful \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 verse\nthat on hearing\nbrings peace.\nAnd better than chanting hundreds\nof meaningless verses is\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 one\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dhamma-saying\nthat on hearing\nbrings peace.\n103-105:\nGreater in battle\nthan the man who would conquer\na thousand-thousand men,\nis he who would conquer\njust one --\nhimself.\nBetter to conquer yourself\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 than others.\nWhen you've trained yourself,\nliving in constant self-control,\nneither a deva nor gandhabba,\nnor a Mara banded with Brahmas,\ncould turn that triumph\nback into defeat.\nYou could, month by month,\nat a cost of thousands,\nconduct sacrifices\na hundred times,\nor\npay a single moment's homage\nto one person,\nself-cultivated.\nBetter than a hundred years of sacrifices\nwould that act of homage be.\nYou could, for a hundred years,\nlive in a forest\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 tending a fire,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 or \npay a single moment's homage\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to one person,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 self-cultivated.\nBetter than a hundred years of sacrifices\nwould that act of homage be.\nEverything offered \nor sacrificed in the world \nfor an entire year by one seeking merit\ndoesn't come to a fourth.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Better to pay respect \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to those who've gone \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the straight way.\n109:\nIf you're respectful by habit,\nconstantly honoring the worthy,\nfour things increase:\nlong life, beauty,\nhappiness, strength.\n110-115:\nBetter than a hundred years\nlived without virtue, uncentered, is\none day\nlived by a virtuous person\nabsorbed in jhana.\nAnd better than a hundred years\nlived undiscerning, uncentered, is\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 one day\nlived by a discerning person\nabsorbed in jhana.\nAnd better than a hundred years\nlived apathetic & unenergetic, is\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 one day\nlived energetic & firm.\nAnd better than a hundred years\nlived without seeing\narising & passing away, is\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 one day\nlived seeing\narising & passing away.\nAnd better than a hundred years\nlived without seeing\nthe Deathless state, is\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 one day\nlived seeing\nthe Deathless state.\nAnd better than a hundred years\nlived without seeing\nthe ultimate Dhamma, is\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 one day\nlived seeing\nthe ultimate Dhamma.","title":"Dhammapada VIII: Thousands","type":"page"}