Interesting read on Dhammapada
Dhammapada: Thousands
Better than a thousand meaningless verses is one meaningful word,
Which, having been heard, brings peace.
Better than a thousand meaningless verses is one meaningful line of verse,
Which, having been heard, brings peace.
Better than reciting a hundred meaningless verses is one line of Dharma,
Which, having been heard, brings peace.
Greater in combat than a person who conquers
A thousand times a thousand people
Is the person who conquers himself.
Certainly it is better to conquer oneself than others,
For someone who is self-restrained
And always lives with mastery,
Neither a god nor Mara nor Brahma together
Could turn conquest into defeat.
Better than a thousand ritual sacrifices offered every month,
For more than one hundred years,
Is one moment’s homage offered to one who has cultivated herself.
Better than a hundred years in the forest tending a ritual fire,
Is one moment’s homage offered to one who has cultivated himself.
Whatever sacrifice or offering a merit seeker might perform in an entire year,
Is not worth one fourth as much as expressing respect to those who are upright.
For the person who shows respect and always reveres worthy people,
Four things increase: life span, beauty, happiness, and strength.
Better than one hundred years lived with an unsettled mind and devoid of virtue,
Is one day lived virtuous and absorbed in meditation.
Better than one hundred years lived with an unsettled mind and devoid of insight,
Is one day lived with insight and absorbed in meditation.
Better than one hundred years lived lazily and lacking in effort,
Is one day lived with vigor and exertion.
Better than one hundred years lived without seeing the arising and passing of things,
Is one day lived seeing their arising and passing.
Better than one hundred years lived without seeing the Deathless,
Is one day lived seeing the Deathless,
Better than one hundred years lived without seeing the ultimate Dharma,
Is one day lived seeing the ultimate Dharma.
Inspired Source: Dhammapada by Gil Fronsdal
Written by Keith Johnson 
July 26th, 2008 
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