Chapter Eight -- The Thousands

1. Better than a thousand useless words is one
   useful word, hearing which one attains peace.
   
2. Better than a thousand useless verses is one
   useful verse, hearing which one attains peace.
   
3. Better than reciting a hundred meaningless
   verses is the reciting of one verse of Dhamma,
   hearing which one attains peace.
   
4. Though one may conquer a thousand times
   a thousand people in battle, yet one indeed is
   the noblest victor who conquers oneself.
   
5. 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 such a person who is self-subdued and ever
   restrained in conduct.
   
6. 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 developed mind, that honour is indeed better
   than a century of sacrifice.
   
7. 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
   developed mind, that worship is indeed better
   than a century of sacrifice.
   
8. 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.
   
9. To one ever eager to revere and serve
   the elders, these four blessings accrue: long life
   and beauty, happiness and power.
   
10. Better it is to live one day virtuous and
    meditative than to live a hundred years immoral
    and uncontrolled.
    
11. Better it is to live one day wise and meditative
    than to live a hundred years foolish and uncontrolled.
    
12. Better it is to live one day strenuous and
    resolute than to live a hundred years sluggish
    and dissipated.
    
13. 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.
    
14. Better it is to live one day seeing the
    Deathless than to live a hundred years without
    ever seeing the Deathless.
    
15. Better it is to live one day seeing the
    Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years without
    ever seeing the Supreme Truth.