Patna Dhammapada - 21: The Chapter about Thousands

Sahasram api ce vācā anatthapadasāhitā,
Though there are a thousand sayings consisting of useless words,

ekaṁ atthapadaṁ śreyo, yaṁ śottā upaśāmmati.
better is one useful word, hearing which one is brought to peace.

Sahassam-api ce vācā anatthapadasaṁhitā,
Though there are a thousand sayings consisting of useless words,

ekaṁ atthapadaṁ seyyo, yaṁ sutvā upasammati.
better is one useful word, hearing which one is brought to peace.

Yo ca gāthāśataṁ bhāṣe anatthapadasāhitaṁ,
One may speak a thousand verses consisting of useless words,

ekaṁ Dhamapadaṁ śreyo, yaṁ śottā upaśāmmati.
better is one verse of Dhamma, hearing which one is brought to peace.

Yo ce gāthāsataṁ bhāse anatthapadasaṁhitā,
One may speak a thousand verses consisting of useless words,

ekaṁ Dhammapadaṁ seyyo, yaṁ sutvā upasammati.
better is one verse of Dhamma, hearing which one is brought to peace.

Yo sahasraṁ sahasrāṇāṁ saṅggrāme mānuṣe jine,
One may conquer a thousand men a thousand times in a battle,

ekaṁ ca p’ aññam āttānaṁ, sa ve saṅggrāmam-uttamo.
but having (conquered) another, one’s self, one would surely be supreme in battle.

Yo sahassaṁ sahassena saṅgāme mānuse jine,
One may conquer a thousand men a thousand times in a battle,

ekañ-ca jeyya attānaṁ, sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo.
but having conquered one’s own self, one would surely be supreme in battle.

Māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeya śataṁ samā;
One might give alms impartially with a thousand (coins of money) month by month for a hundred (years);

ekañ-ca bhāvitāttānaṁ muhuttam api pūjaye –
and one might worship someone with developed self for a second –

sā eva pūjanā śreyo yac cha vaśśaśataṁ hutaṁ.
that worship is surely better than the hundred-year sacrifice.

Māse māse sahassena yo yajetha sataṁ samaṁ;
One might give alms impartially with a thousand (coins of money) month by month for a hundred (years);

ekañ-ca bhāvitattānaṁ muhuttam-api pūjaye –
and one might worship someone with developed self for a second –

sā yeva pūjanā seyyo yañ-ce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.
that worship is surely better than the hundred-year sacrifice.

Yo ca vaśśaśataṁ jantū aggiṁ paricare vane;
One person might care for the fire in the woods for a hundred years;

ekañ-ca bhāvitāttānaṁ muhuttam api pūjaye –
and one might worship someone with developed self for a second –

sā eva pūjanā śreyo yac cha vaśśaśataṁ hutaṁ.
that worship is surely better than the hundred-year sacrifice.

Yo ca vassasataṁ jantu aggiṁ paricare vane;
One person might care for the fire in the woods for a hundred years;

ekañ-ca bhāvitattānaṁ muhuttam-api pūjaye –
and one might worship someone with developed self for a second –

sā yeva pūjanā seyyo yañ-ce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.
that worship is surely better than the hundred-year sacrifice.

Yaṁ kiñci yaṣṭaṁ va hutaṁ va loke
Whatever the alms or the sacrifice in the world

saṁvatsaraṁ yajate puññapekhī,
the one seeking merit may give for a year,

sabbaṁ pi taṁ na catubbhāgam eti –
all that comes not to a quarter (of the merit) –

abhivādanā ujjugatesu śreyo.
better is the worship of the upright.

Yaṁ kiñci yiṭṭhaṁ ca hutaṁ ca loke
Whatever the alms or the sacrifice in the world

saṁvaccharaṁ yajetha puññapekkho,
the one seeking merit may give for a year,

sabbam-pi taṁ na catubhāgam-eti –
all that comes not to a quarter (of the merit) –

abhivādanā ujjugatesu seyyo.
better is the worship of the upright.

Māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeya śataṁ samā,
One might give alms impartially with a thousand (coins of money) month by month for a hundred (years);

na taṁ Buddhe prasādassa kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ.
(but) that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Buddha.

Māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeta samāśatam, Word order is slightly different here in Udānavarga, and in similar verses below.
One might give alms impartially with a thousand (coins of money) month by month for a hundred (years);

na tad Buddhe prasādasya kalām arghati ṣoḍaśīm.
(but) that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Buddha.

Māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeya śataṁ samā,
One might give alms impartially with a thousand (coins of money) month by month for a hundred (years);

na taṁ Dhamme prasādassa kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ.
(but) that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Dhamma.

Māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeta samāśatam,
One might give alms impartially with a thousand (coins of money) month by month for a hundred (years);

na tad Dharme prasādasya kalām arghati ṣoḍaśīm.
(but) that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Dhamma.

Māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeya śataṁ samā,
One might give alms impartially with a thousand (coins of money) month by month for a hundred (years);

na taṁ Saṅghe prasādassa kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ.
(but) that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Saṅgha.

Māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeta samāśatam,
One might give alms impartially with a thousand (coins of money) month by month for a hundred (years);

na tat Saṅghe prasādasya kalām arghati ṣoḍaśīm.
(but) that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Saṅgha.

Māse māse sahasreṇa yo yajeya śataṁ samā,
One might give alms impartially with a thousand (coins of money) month by month for a hundred (years);

na taṁ sākhātadhammāṇāṁ kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ.
(but) that is not worth a sixteenth part of those who have mastered Dhamma.

Māse māse sahassena yo yajetha sataṁ samaṁ;
One might give alms impartially with a thousand (coins of money) month by month for a hundred (years);

ekañ-ca bhāvitattānaṁ muhuttam-api pūjaye –
and one might worship someone with developed self for a second –

sā yeva pūjanā seyyo yañ-ce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.
that worship is surely better than the hundred-year sacrifice.

————

Māse māse kusaggena bālo bhuñjetha bhojanaṁ,
From month to month the fool may eat food with the tip of kusa grass,

na so saṅkhātadhammānaṁ kalaṁ agghati soḷasiṁ.
(but) that is not worth a sixteenth part of those who have mastered Dhamma.

Māse māse kuśāggreṇa bālo bhuñjeya bhojanaṁ,
From month to month the fool may eat food with the tip of kusa grass,

na taṁ Buddhe prasādassa kalām agghati ṣoḍaśiṁ.
(but) that is not worth a sixteenth part of having confidence in the Buddha.

Māse māse kuśāgreṇa yo hi bhuñjīta bhojanam,
From month to month the fool may eat food with the tip of kuśa grass,