100
Rather than a thousand sayings,
composed of meaningless words;
Better is one meaningful saying,
hearing which, one |is calmed::is cooled, is settled [upasammati]|.
101
Rather than a thousand verses,
composed of meaningless words;
Better is one line of verse,
hearing which, one is calmed.
102
Rather than a hundred verses,
composed of meaningless words;
Better is one saying of the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|,
hearing which, one is calmed.
103
Even if one were to conquer a thousand men,
with a thousand others in battle;
Yet if one conquers oneself alone,
that one is indeed the unsurpassed conqueror in battle.
104
Self-conquest is truly better,
than conquering others;
For one who has |mastered oneself::controlled oneself [attadanta]|,
continuously dwells with restraint.
105
Neither a god, nor a celestial being,
nor |Māra::the ruler of the sensual realm, often depicted as a tempter who tries to obstruct beings from the path to liberation [māra]| together with |Brahmā::God, the first deity to be born at the beginning of a new cosmic cycle and whose lifespan lasts for the entire cycle [brahmā]|;
Can undo the victory of one who is like that,
a person who has conquered themselves.
106
Even if one were to make a thousand offerings every month,
consistently for a hundred years;
And yet, if one were to honor for even a moment,
a person |who is awakened::who is self-developed, who has a developed mind [bhāvitatta]|;
That honor is indeed better,
than a hundred years of offerings.
107
Even if one were to |attend to::worship, tend to [paricarati]| the [sacred] fire in the forest,
for a hundred years,
And yet, if one were to honor for even a moment,
a person who is awakened;
That honor is indeed better,
than a hundred years of offerings.
108
Whatever is given or offered in the world,
If one were to give that throughout the year, |seeking merit::seeking spiritual wealth [puññapekkha]|;
All of that does not come to a fourth part,
of the honor given to the |steadfast::upright, unswerving [ujjugata]|, which is indeed better.
109
For one who is respectful,
and regularly honors the elders;
Four qualities grow:
life span, beauty, contentment, and strength.
110
Even if one were to live a hundred years,
|unprincipled::without regard for ethical conduct [dussīla]| and |distracted::with scattered attention, not collected, not well-composed [asamāhita]|;
Better is a single day of life,
of a |virtuous::ethical, moral [sīlavant]| person who meditates.
111
Even if one were to live a hundred years,
|undiscerning::without wisdom [duppañña]| and distracted;
Better is a single day of life,
of a |discerning::wise, insightful| person who meditates.
112
Even if one were to live a hundred years,
|lazy::procrastinating, inactive person, indolent [kusīta]| and |weak in effort::low in energy, lacking in endurance [hīnavīriya]|;
Better is a single day of life,
of one who |makes steady effort::actively engages|.
113
Even if one were to live a hundred years,
without seeing |arising and passing away::appearance and disappearance, formation and dissolution [udayabbaya]|;
Better is a single day of life,
of one who sees arising and passing away.
114
Even if one were to live a hundred years,
without seeing the |deathless state::epithet of Nibbāna [amata]|;
Better is a single day of life,
of one who sees the deathless state.
115
Even if one were to live a hundred years,
without seeing the |ultimate truth::the ultimate nature of things [dhammamuttamaṁ]|;
Better is a single day of life,
of one who sees the ultimate truth.