Sahassavagga

Khuddakanikāya

Minor Collection

Dhammapada

Sayings of the Dhamma 100–115

Sahassavagga

8. The Thousands

Tambadāṭhikacoraghātakavatthu

Sahassamapi ce vācā,

Better than a thousand

anatthapadasaṁhitā;

meaningless sayings

Ekaṁ atthapadaṁ seyyo,

is a single meaningful saying,

yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

hearing which brings you peace.

Bāhiyadārucīriyattheravatthu

Sahassamapi ce gāthā,

Better than a thousand

anatthapadasaṁhitā;

meaningless verses

Ekaṁ gāthāpadaṁ seyyo,

is a single meaningful verse,

yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

hearing which brings you peace.

Kuṇḍalakesitherīvatthu

Yo ca gāthā sataṁ bhāse,

Better than reciting

anatthapadasaṁhitā;

a hundred meaningless verses

Ekaṁ dhammapadaṁ seyyo,

is a single saying of Dhamma,

yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

hearing which brings you peace.

Yo sahassaṁ sahassena,

The supreme conqueror is

saṅgāme mānuse jine;

not he who conquers a million men in battle,

Ekañca jeyyamattānaṁ,

but he who conquers a single man:

sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo.

himself.

Anatthapucchakabrāhmaṇavatthu

Attā have jitaṁ seyyo,

It is surely better to conquer oneself

yā cāyaṁ itarā pajā;

than all those other folk.

Attadantassa posassa,

When a person has tamed themselves,

niccaṁ saññatacārino.

always living restrained,

Neva devo na gandhabbo,

no god nor centaur,

na māro saha brahmunā;

nor Māra nor divinity,

Jitaṁ apajitaṁ kayirā,

can undo the victory

tathārūpassa jantuno.

of such a personage.

Sāriputtattherassa mātulabrāhmaṇavatthu

Māse māse sahassena,

Rather than a thousandfold sacrifice,

yo yajetha sataṁ samaṁ;

every month for a full century,

Ekañca bhāvitattānaṁ,

it’s better to honor for a single hour

muhuttamapi pūjaye;

one who has developed themselves.

Sāyeva pūjanā seyyo,

That offering is better

yañce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.

than the hundred year sacrifice.

Sāriputtattherassa bhāgineyyavatthu

Yo ca vassasataṁ jantu,

Rather than serve the sacred flame

aggiṁ paricare vane;

in the forest for a hundred years,

Ekañca bhāvitattānaṁ,

it’s better to honor for a single hour

muhuttamapi pūjaye;

a personage who has developed themselves.

Sāyeva pūjanā seyyo,

That offering is better

yañce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.

than the hundred year sacrifice.

Sāriputtatherassa sahāyakabrāhmaṇavatthu

Yaṁ kiñci yiṭṭhaṁ va hutaṁ va loke,

Whatever sacrifice or offering in the world

Saṁvaccharaṁ yajetha puññapekkho;

a seeker of merit may make for a year,

Sabbampi taṁ na catubhāgameti,

none of it is worth a quarter

Abhivādanā ujjugatesu seyyo.

of bowing to the sincere.

Āyuvaḍḍhanakumāravatthu

Abhivādanasīlissa,

For one in the habit of bowing,

niccaṁ vuḍḍhāpacāyino;

always honoring the elders,

Cattāro dhammā vaḍḍhanti,

four blessings grow:

āyu vaṇṇo sukhaṁ balaṁ.

lifespan, beauty, happiness, and strength.

Saṅkiccasāmaṇeravatthu

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,

Better to live a single day

dussīlo asamāhito;

ethical and absorbed in meditation

Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,

than to live a hundred years

sīlavantassa jhāyino.

unethical and lacking immersion.

Khāṇukoṇḍaññattheravatthu

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,

Better to live a single day

duppañño asamāhito;

wise and absorbed in meditation

Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,

than to live a hundred years

paññavantassa jhāyino.

witless and lacking immersion.

Sabbadāsattheravatthu

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,

Better to live a single day

kusīto hīnavīriyo;

energetic and strong,

Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,

than to live a hundred years

vīriyamārabhato daḷhaṁ.

lazy and lacking energy.

Paṭācārātherīvatthu

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,

Better to live a single day

apassaṁ udayabbayaṁ;

seeing rise and fall

Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,

than to live a hundred years

passato udayabbayaṁ.

blind to rise and fall.

Kisāgotamīvatthu

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,

Better to live a single day

apassaṁ amataṁ padaṁ;

seeing the state free of death

Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,

than to live a hundred years

passato amataṁ padaṁ.

blind to the state free of death.

Bahuputtikattherīvatthu

Yo ca vassasataṁ jīve,

Better to live a single day

apassaṁ dhammamuttamaṁ;

seeing the supreme teaching

Ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo,

than to live a hundred years

passato dhammamuttamaṁ.

blind to the supreme teaching.

Sahassavaggo aṭṭhamo.