The Thousands
Every verse in this chapter weighs a large number against a single thing. One meaningful saying is better than a thousand meaningless ones. Conquering yourself is better than conquering a million in battle. Honouring a person who has developed themselves for a single hour is worth more than a century of sacrifices. And a single day lived with ethics, meditation, energy, or clear sight of things arising and passing is better than a hundred years lived without them. No listener is named; the verses simply set quality against quantity, one meaningful thing against a thousand.
A note on these verses. Verses 106–108 set the practice above fire offerings and ritual sacrifice; verse 105 names Māra and gods; verse 114 speaks of “the state free of death”.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · public domain (CC0) · about 2 min · on SuttaCentral
100Better than a thousandmeaningless sayingsis a single meaningful saying,hearing which brings you peace.Explained: One meaningful saying
101Better than a thousandmeaningless versesis a single meaningful verse,hearing which brings you peace.
102Better than recitinga hundred meaningless versesis a single saying of Dhamma,hearing which brings you peace.
103The supreme conqueror isnot he who conquers a million men in battle,but he who conquers a single man:himself.
104It is surely better to conquer oneselfthan all those other folk.When a person has tamed themselves,always living restrained,
105no god nor centaur,nor Māra nor divinity,can undo the victoryof such a personage.
106Rather than a thousandfold sacrifice,every month for a full century,it’s better to honor for a single hourone who has developed themselves.That offering is betterthan the hundred year sacrifice.
107Rather than serve the sacred flamein the forest for a hundred years,it’s better to honor for a single houra personage who has developed themselves.That offering is betterthan the hundred year sacrifice.
108Whatever sacrifice or offering in the worlda seeker of merit may make for a year,none of it is worth a quarterof bowing to the sincere.
109For one in the habit of bowing,always honoring the elders,four blessings grow:lifespan, beauty, happiness, and strength.
110Better to live a single dayethical and absorbed in meditationthan to live a hundred yearsunethical and lacking immersion.
111Better to live a single daywise and absorbed in meditationthan to live a hundred yearswitless and lacking immersion.
112Better to live a single dayenergetic and strong,than to live a hundred yearslazy and lacking energy.
113Better to live a single dayseeing rise and fallthan to live a hundred yearsblind to rise and fall.
114Better to live a single dayseeing the state free of deaththan to live a hundred yearsblind to the state free of death.
115Better to live a single dayseeing the supreme teachingthan to live a hundred yearsblind to the supreme teaching.