Thousands

A thousand words strung together mean nothing if they're empty. Far better is a single meaningful word: one that, when you hear it, brings your restless mind to peace.

Better than a thousand useless words is one useful word, hearing which one attains peace.

A thousand verses count for little if they carry no meaning. Far better is a single meaningful line of verse: one that, when you hear it, brings you peace.

Better than a thousand useless verses is one useful verse, hearing which one attains peace.

Reciting a hundred verses full of empty words is worth less than speaking one true verse of the Dhamma: one that, when you hear it, brings you peace.

Better than reciting a hundred meaningless verses is the reciting of one verse of Dhamma, hearing which one attains peace.

You could defeat a thousand thousand enemies on the battlefield, but the one who conquers themselves is the greatest victor of all.

Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself.

Mastering yourself is a greater triumph than ruling over everyone else. Not even the gods could turn that victory into defeat: the self-disciplined person, living with restraint, stands beyond their reach.

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. [12]

When you have trained yourself and live in constant self-control, not even a god, an angel, Mara, or Brahma could turn your victory back into defeat.

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. [12]

You could offer lavish sacrifices month after month for a hundred years, yet a single moment of honoring someone of perfected mind is worth more than all of it.

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.

You could tend the sacred fire in the forest for a hundred years, yet a single moment of honoring someone of perfected mind is worth more than all that devotion.

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.

Whatever gifts and offerings someone makes throughout a whole year hoping to earn merit, all of it isn't worth a fourth of the merit in simply revering those who walk the upright path.

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.

For one who is always glad to revere and serve those worthy of honor, four things grow: long life, beauty, happiness, and strength.

To one ever eager to revere and serve the elders, these four blessing accrue: long life and beauty, happiness and power.

Better to live a single day with virtue and a settled mind than to live a hundred years without morals and out of control.

Better it is to live one day virtuous and meditative than to live a hundred years immoral and uncontrolled.

Better to live a single day with wisdom and a settled mind than to live a hundred years foolish and out of control.

Better it is to live one day wise and meditative than to live a hundred years foolish and uncontrolled.

Better to live a single day with effort and resolve than to live a hundred years lazy and adrift.

Better it is to live one day strenuous and resolute than to live a hundred years sluggish and dissipated.

Better to live a single day seeing how all things rise and pass away than to live a hundred years never seeing it at all.

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.

Better to live a single day seeing the Deathless than to live a hundred years never seeing it at all.

Better it is to live one day seeing the Deathless than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Deathless.

Better to live a single day seeing the Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years never seeing it at all.

Better it is to live one day seeing the Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Supreme Truth.