From:
Patna Dharmapada Patna Dhammapada
21. Sahasra 21. The Chapter about Thousands
sahasram api ce vācā anatthapadasāhitā । Though there are a thousand sayings consisting of useless words,
ekaṁ atthapadaṁ śreyo yaṁ śottā upaśāṁmati ।। better is one useful word, hearing which one is brought to peace.
yo ca gāthāśataṁ bhāṣe anatthapadasāhitaṁ । One may speak a thousand verses consisting of useless words,
ekaṁ dhamapadaṁ śreyo yaṁ śottā upaśāṁmati ।। better is one verse of Dhamma, hearing which one is brought to peace.
yo sahasraṁ sahasrāṇāṁ saṁggrāme mānuṣe jine । One may conquer a thousand men a thousand times in a battle,
ekaṁ ca paṁñam āttānaṁ sa ve saṁggrāmamuttamo ।। but having conquered another, one’s self, one would surely be supreme in battle.
māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeya śataṁ samā । One might give alms impartially with a thousand coins of money month by month for a hundred years;
ekañ ca bhāvitāttānaṁ muhuttam api pūjaye । and one might worship someone with developed self for a second—
sā eva pūjanā śreyo yac cha vaśśaśataṁ hutaṁ ।। that worship is surely better than the hundred-year sacrifice.
yo ca vaśśaśataṁ jantū aggiṁ paricare vane । One person might care for the fire in the woods for a hundred years;
ekañ ca bhāvitāttānaṁ muhuttam api pūjaye । and one might worship someone with developed self for a second—
sā eva pūjanā śreyo yac cha vaśśaśataṁ hutaṁ ।। that worship is surely better than the hundred-year sacrifice.
yaṁ kiñci yaṣṭaṁ va hutaṁ va loke saṁvatsaraṁ yajate puṁñapekhī । Whatever the alms or the sacrifice in the world the one seeking merit may give for a year,
sabbaṁ pi taṁ na catubbhāgam eti abhivādanā ujjugatesu śreyo ।। all that comes not to a quarter of the merit—better is the worship of the upright.
māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeya śataṁ samā । One might give alms impartially with a thousand coins of money month by month for a hundred years;
na taṁ buddhe prasādassa kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ ।। but that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Buddha.
māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeya śataṁ samā । One might give alms impartially with a thousand coins of money month by month for a hundred years;
na taṁ dhamme prasādassa kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ ।। but that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Dhamma.
māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeya śataṁ samā । One might give alms impartially with a thousand coins of money month by month for a hundred years;
na taṁ saṁghe prasādassa kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ ।। but that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Saṅgha.
māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeya śataṁ samā । One might give alms impartially with a thousand coins of money month by month for a hundred years;
na taṁ sākhātadhaṁmāṇāṁ kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ ।। but that is not worth a sixteenth part of those who have mastered Dhamma.
māse māse kuśāggreṇa bālo bhuñjeya bhojanaṁ । From month to month the fool may eat food with the tip of kusa grass,
na taṁ buddhe prasādassa kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ ।। but that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Buddha.
māse māse kuśāggreṇa bālo bhuñjeya bhojanaṁ । From month to month the fool may eat food with the tip of kusa grass,
na taṁ dhamme prasādassa kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ ।। but that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Dhamma.
māse māse kuśāggreṇa bālo bhuñjeya bhojanaṁ । From month to month the fool may eat food with the tip of kusa grass,
na taṁ saṁghe prasādassa kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ ।। but that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Saṅgha.
māse māse kuśāggreṇa bālo bhuñjeya bhojanaṁ । From month to month the fool may eat food with the tip of kusa grass,
na taṁ sākkhātadhaṁmāṇāṁ kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ ।। but that is not worth a sixteenth part of those who have mastered Dhamma.
yo ca vaśśaśataṁ jīve duśśīlo asamāhito । One might live for a hundred years, unvirtuous and uncomposed,
ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ śreyo śīlavantassa jhāyato ।। but a life of one day is better, for one with virtue and meditation.
yo ca vaśśaśataṁ jīve dupraṁño asamāhito । One might live for a hundred years, lacking in wisdom and uncomposed,
ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ śreyo praṁñavantassa jhāyato ।। but a life of one day is better, for one endowed with wisdom and meditation.
yo ca vaśśaśataṁ jīve kusīdo hīnavīriyo । One might live for a hundred years, indolent, with less energy,
ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ śreyo vīryyam ārabhato dṛḍaṁ ।। but a life of one day is better, for one with energy set up and firm.
yo ca vaśśaśataṁ jīve apaśśaṁ udayavyayaṁ । One might live for a hundred years, without seeing rise and fall,
ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ śreyo paśśato udayavyayaṁ ।। but a life of one day is better, for the one seeing rise and fall.
yo ca vaśśaśataṁ jīve apaśśaṁ dhammam uttamaṁ । One might live for a hundred years, without seeing the supreme state,
ekā ’haṁ jīvitaṁ śreyo paśśato dhammam uttamaṁ ।। but a life of one day is better, for one seeing the supreme state.
yo ca vaśśasataṁ jīve apaśśaṁ amataṁ padaṁ । One might live for a hundred years, without seeing the deathless state,
ekā ’haṁ jīvitaṁ śreyo paśśato amataṁ padaṁ ।। but a life of one day is better, for one seeing the deathless state.
yo ca vaśśasataṁ jīve saddhaṁme apratiṣṭhito । One might live for a hundred years, unestablished in the True Dhamma,
ekā ’haṁ jīvitaṁ śreyo sadhaṁmam iha vijānato ।। but a life of one day is better, for one who knows the True Dhamma.
yo ca vaśśasataṁ jīve aprāpya āsavakkhayaṁ । One might live for a hundred years, having not attained the destruction of the pollutants,
ekā ’haṁ jīvitaṁ śreyo prāpyato āsavakkhayaṁ ।। but a life of one day is better, for one who has attained the destruction of the pollutants.
Sahasravarggaḥ The Chapter about the Thousands