The supreme conqueror isYo sahassaṁ sahassena, not he who conquers a million men in battle,saṅgāme mānuse jine; but he who conquers a single man:Ekañca jeyyamattānaṁ, himself.sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo.
- Minor CollectionKhuddakanikāya
- Sayings of the Dhamma 100–115Dhammapada
8. The ThousandsSahassavagga
Better than a thousandSahassamapi ce vācā, meaningless sayingsanatthapadasaṁhitā; is a single meaningful saying,Ekaṁ atthapadaṁ seyyo, hearing which brings you peace.yaṁ sutvā upasammati.
Better than a thousandSahassamapi ce gāthā, meaningless versesanatthapadasaṁhitā; is a single meaningful verse,Ekaṁ gāthāpadaṁ seyyo, hearing which brings you peace.yaṁ sutvā upasammati.
Better than recitingYo ca gāthā sataṁ bhāse, a hundred meaningless versesanatthapadasaṁhitā; is a single saying of Dhamma,Ekaṁ dhammapadaṁ seyyo, hearing which brings you peace.yaṁ sutvā upasammati.
It is surely better to conquer oneselfAttā have jitaṁ seyyo, than all those other folk.yā cāyaṁ itarā pajā; When a person has tamed themselves,Attadantassa posassa, always living restrained,niccaṁ saññatacārino.
no god nor centaur,Neva devo na gandhabbo, nor Māra nor divinity,na māro saha brahmunā; can undo the victoryJitaṁ apajitaṁ kayirā, of such a personage.tathārūpassa jantuno.
Rather than a thousandfold sacrifice,Māse māse sahassena, every month for a full century,yo yajetha sataṁ samaṁ; it’s better to honor for a single hourEkañca bhāvitattānaṁ, one who has developed themselves.muhuttamapi pūjaye; That offering is betterSāyeva pūjanā seyyo, than the hundred year sacrifice.yañce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.
Rather than serve the sacred flameYo ca vassasataṁ jantu, in the forest for a hundred years,aggiṁ paricare vane; it’s better to honor for a single hourEkañca bhāvitattānaṁ, a personage who has developed themselves.muhuttamapi pūjaye; That offering is betterSāyeva pūjanā seyyo, than the hundred year sacrifice.yañce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.
Whatever sacrifice or offering in the worldYaṁ kiñci yiṭṭhaṁ va hutaṁ va loke, a seeker of merit may make for a year,Saṁvaccharaṁ yajetha puññapekkho; none of it is worth a quarterSabbampi taṁ na catubhāgameti, of bowing to the sincere.Abhivādanā ujjugatesu seyyo.
For one in the habit of bowing,Abhivādanasīlissa, always honoring the elders,niccaṁ vuḍḍhāpacāyino; four blessings grow:Cattāro dhammā vaḍḍhanti, lifespan, beauty, happiness, and strength.āyu vaṇṇo sukhaṁ balaṁ.
Better to live a single dayYo ca vassasataṁ jīve, ethical and absorbed in meditationdussīlo asamāhito; than to live a hundred yearsEkāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, unethical and lacking immersion.sīlavantassa jhāyino.
Better to live a single dayYo ca vassasataṁ jīve, wise and absorbed in meditationduppañño asamāhito; than to live a hundred yearsEkāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, witless and lacking immersion.paññavantassa jhāyino.
Better to live a single dayYo ca vassasataṁ jīve, energetic and strong,kusīto hīnavīriyo; than to live a hundred yearsEkāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, lazy and lacking energy.vīriyamārabhato daḷhaṁ.
Better to live a single dayYo ca vassasataṁ jīve, seeing rise and fallapassaṁ udayabbayaṁ; than to live a hundred yearsEkāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, blind to rise and fall.passato udayabbayaṁ.
Better to live a single dayYo ca vassasataṁ jīve, seeing the state free of deathapassaṁ amataṁ padaṁ; than to live a hundred yearsEkāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, blind to the state free of death.passato amataṁ padaṁ.
Better to live a single dayYo ca vassasataṁ jīve, seeing the supreme teachingapassaṁ dhammamuttamaṁ; than to live a hundred yearsEkāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo, blind to the supreme teaching.passato dhammamuttamaṁ.