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Dhammapada · 8 of 26

CHAPTER VIII. The Thousands

100.Even though a speech be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless words, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.

101.Even though a Gâthâ (poem) be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless words, one word of a Gâthâ is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.

102.Though a man recite a hundred Gâthâs made up of senseless words, one word of the law is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.

103.If one man conquer in battle a thousand times thousand men, and if another conquer himself, he is the greatest of conquerors.

104.One’s own self conquered is better than all other people; not even a god, a Gandharva, not Mâra with Brahman could change into defeat the victory of a man who has vanquished himself, and always lives under restraint.

106.If a man for a hundred years sacrifice month after month with a thousand, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded (in true knowledge), better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.

107.If a man for a hundred years worship Agni (fire) in the forest, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded (in true knowledge), better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.

108.Whatever a man sacrifice in this world as an offering or as an oblation for a whole year in order to gain merit, the whole of it is not worth a quarter (a farthing); reverence shown to the righteous is better.

109.He who always greets and constantly reveres the aged, four things will increase to him, viz. life, beauty, happiness, power.

110.But he who lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained, a life of one day is better if a man is virtuous and reflecting.

111.And he who lives a hundred years, ignorant and unrestrained, a life of one day is better if a man is wise and reflecting.

112.And he who lives a hundred years, idle and weak, a life of one day is better if a man has attained firm strength.

113.And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing beginning and end, a life of one day is better if a man sees beginning and end.

114.And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the immortal place, a life of one day is better if a man sees the immortal place.

115.And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the highest law, a life of one day is better if a man sees the highest law.

Asked of Guide

Why does the text prefer one true word or one wise person over many rituals or long speech?

The chapter shows that value lies in what stops the mind: a single speech that “becomes quiet” is better than a thousand senseless words, and one moment of homage to a person “grounded (in true knowledge)” outweighs a hundred years of sacrifice. The Dhammapada prizes direct awakening and inner restraint over quantity—words, poems, rituals have worth only insofar as they still the heart or point to wisdom.

Verses about conquering oneself (“he is the greatest of conquerors”) and preferring brief wise seeing to long but blind life reinforce that practical transformation matters more than accumulation. These lines echo themes in The Gospel of Buddha, which also values repeated right action and inner change as the source of lasting happiness.

Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.

Echoes elsewhere

The Gospel of Buddha · Buddhismdoes what is good, let him do it again; let him delight in it; happiness is the outcome of good. Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, It will not come nigh unto mThe Apocrypha (Deuterocanonical Books) · Christianityknowledge of a wise man shall abound like a flood: and his counsel is like a pure fountain of life. The inner parts of a fool are like a broken vessel, and he will hold no knowledgThe Septuagint · Christianityknowledge of a wise man shall abound like a flood: and his counsel is like a pure fountain of life. The inner parts of a fool are like a broken vessel, and he will hold no knowledgThe Bible · Christianitywise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. 17. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated. 18. The simple