VIII. Sahassavagga ~ The Thousands
1. sahassamapi ce vācā, anatthapadasaṃhitā.
ekaṃ atthapadaṃ seyyo, yaṃ sutvā upasammati.
Better than a thousand useless words is one useful word, hearing which one attains peace.
ekaṃ atthapadaṃ seyyo, yaṃ sutvā upasammati.
Better than a thousand useless words is one useful word, hearing which one attains peace.
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2. sahassamapi ce gāthā, anatthapadasaṃhitā.
ekaṃ gāthāpadaṃ seyyo, yaṃ sutvā upasammati.
Better than a thousand useless verses is one useful verse, hearing which one attains peace.
ekaṃ gāthāpadaṃ seyyo, yaṃ sutvā upasammati.
Better than a thousand useless verses is one useful verse, hearing which one attains peace.
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3. yo ca gāthā sataṃ bhāse, anatthapadasaṃhitā.
ekaṃ dhammapadaṃ seyyo, yaṃ sutvā upasammati.
Better than reciting a hundred meaningless verses is the reciting of one verse of Dhamma, hearing which one attains peace.
ekaṃ dhammapadaṃ seyyo, yaṃ sutvā upasammati.
Better than reciting a hundred meaningless verses is the reciting of one verse of Dhamma, hearing which one attains peace.
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4. yo sahassaṃ sahassena, saṅgāme mānuse jine.
ekañca jeyyamattānaṃ, sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo.
Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself.
ekañca jeyyamattānaṃ, sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo.
Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself.
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5-6. attā have jitaṃ seyyo, yā cāyaṃ itarā pajā.
attadantassa posassa, niccaṃ saññatacārino.
neva devo na gandhabbo, na māro saha brahmunā.
jitaṃ apajitaṃ kayirā, tathārūpassa jantuno.
Self-conquest is far better than the conquest of others. Not even a god, an angel, Mara or Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of a person who is self-subdued and ever restrained in conduct.
attadantassa posassa, niccaṃ saññatacārino.
neva devo na gandhabbo, na māro saha brahmunā.
jitaṃ apajitaṃ kayirā, tathārūpassa jantuno.
Self-conquest is far better than the conquest of others. Not even a god, an angel, Mara or Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of a person who is self-subdued and ever restrained in conduct.
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7. māse māse sahassena, yo yajetha sataṃ samaṃ.
ekañca bhāvitattānaṃ, muhuttamapi pūjaye.
sāyeva pūjanā seyyo, yañce vassasataṃ hutaṃ.
Though month after month for a hundred years one should offer sacrifices by the thousands, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds that honor is indeed better than a century of sacrifice.
ekañca bhāvitattānaṃ, muhuttamapi pūjaye.
sāyeva pūjanā seyyo, yañce vassasataṃ hutaṃ.
Though month after month for a hundred years one should offer sacrifices by the thousands, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds that honor is indeed better than a century of sacrifice.
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8. yo ca vassasataṃ jantu, aggiṃ paricare vane.
ekañca bhāvitattānaṃ, muhuttamapi pūjaye.
sāyeva pūjanā seyyo, yañce vassasataṃ hutaṃ.
Though for a hundred years one should tend the sacrificial fire in the forest, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds, that worship is indeed better than a century of sacrifice.
ekañca bhāvitattānaṃ, muhuttamapi pūjaye.
sāyeva pūjanā seyyo, yañce vassasataṃ hutaṃ.
Though for a hundred years one should tend the sacrificial fire in the forest, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds, that worship is indeed better than a century of sacrifice.
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9. yaṃ kiñci yiṭṭhaṃ va hutaṃ va loke, saṃvaccharaṃ yajetha puññapekkho.
sabbampi taṃ na catubhāgameti, abhivādanā ujjugatesu seyyo.
Whatever gifts and oblations one seeking merit might offer in this world for a whole year, all that is not worth one fourth of the merit gained by revering the Upright Ones, which is truly excellent.
sabbampi taṃ na catubhāgameti, abhivādanā ujjugatesu seyyo.
Whatever gifts and oblations one seeking merit might offer in this world for a whole year, all that is not worth one fourth of the merit gained by revering the Upright Ones, which is truly excellent.
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10. abhivādanasīlissa, niccaṃ vuḍḍhāpacāyino.
cattāro dhammā vaḍḍhanti, āyu vaṇṇo sukhaṃ balaṃ.
To one ever eager to revere and serve the elders, these four blessing accrue: long life and beauty, happiness and power.
cattāro dhammā vaḍḍhanti, āyu vaṇṇo sukhaṃ balaṃ.
To one ever eager to revere and serve the elders, these four blessing accrue: long life and beauty, happiness and power.
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11. yo ca vassasataṃ jīve, dussīlo asamāhito.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, sīlavantassa jhāyino.
Better it is to live one day virtuous and meditative than to live a hundred years immoral and uncontrolled.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, sīlavantassa jhāyino.
Better it is to live one day virtuous and meditative than to live a hundred years immoral and uncontrolled.
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12. yo ca vassasataṃ jīve, duppañño asamāhito.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, paññavantassa jhāyino.
Better it is to live one day wise and meditative than to live a hundred years foolish and uncontrolled.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, paññavantassa jhāyino.
Better it is to live one day wise and meditative than to live a hundred years foolish and uncontrolled.
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13. yo ca vassasataṃ jīve, kusīto hīnavīriyo.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, vīriyamārabhato daḷhaṃ.
Better it is to live one day strenuous and resolute than to live a hundred years sluggish and dissipated.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, vīriyamārabhato daḷhaṃ.
Better it is to live one day strenuous and resolute than to live a hundred years sluggish and dissipated.
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14. yo ca vassasataṃ jīve, apassaṃ udayabbayaṃ.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, passato udayabbayaṃ.
Better it is to live one day seeing the rise and fall of things than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the rise and fall of things.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, passato udayabbayaṃ.
Better it is to live one day seeing the rise and fall of things than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the rise and fall of things.
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15. yo ca vassasataṃ jīve, apassaṃ amataṃ padaṃ.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, passato amataṃ padaṃ.
Better it is to live one day seeing the Deathless than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Deathless.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, passato amataṃ padaṃ.
Better it is to live one day seeing the Deathless than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Deathless.
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16. yo ca vassasataṃ jīve, apassaṃ dhammamuttamaṃ.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, passato dhammamuttamaṃ.
Better it is to live one day seeing the Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Supreme Truth.
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, passato dhammamuttamaṃ.
Better it is to live one day seeing the Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Supreme Truth.
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