Sunday Reflections: The Thousands

Dhammapada

The Thousands

Attributed to the Buddha

Better than a thousand hollow words

Is one word that brings peace.

Better than a thousand hollows verses

Is one verse that brings peace.

Better than a hundred hollow lines

Is one line of law, bringing peace.

It is better to conquer yourself

Than to win a thousand battles.

Then the victory is yours.

It cannot be taken from you,

Not by angels, or by demons,

Heaven or Hell.

Better than a hundred years of worship,

Better than a thousand offerings,

Better than giving up a thousand worldly ways

In order to win merit,

Better even than tending in the forest

A sacred flame for a hundred years –

Is one moment’s of reverence

For the man who has conquered himself.

To revere such a man,

A master old in virtue and holiness,

Is to have victory over life itself,

And beauty, strength, and happiness.

Better than a hundred years of mischief

Is one day spent in contemplation.

Better than a hundred years of ignorance

Is one day spent in reflection.

Better than a hundred years of idleness

Is one day spent in determination.

Better to live one day

Wondering

How all things arise and pass away.

Better to live one hour

Seeing

The one life beyond the way.

Better to live one moment

In the moment

Of the way beyond the way.

-The Dhammapada

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Our languages have become unwieldy beasts. We have seemingly endless permutations of words, or phrases to say absolutely nothing. Worse still, the more words one uses, the more openings for interpretation or even attack. For some, language is a weapon, and use of it is considered a hostile act. Weaponized language can even be turned back on oneself, without realization. One can consider themselves poorly, and unworthy of a better life, with endless lists of reasons why, yet in these self-recriminations never find the positives.

I still struggle to bring myself to a long lasting peace. A peace and contentment that can appear illusory in a hostile world. I could write indefinitely about the atrocities of our culture and society. Many have written tomes, fiction and non-fiction, on critiquing the human experience. Has it availed us much succor from our existential pains? Despite being relieved of our ignorance of the flawed human experience, we are still so prone to mischief. What does the Buddha mean by “mischief” exactly? Our modern concept of mischief might paint the picture of small children running about, playing pranks with string or toilet paper. We wouldn’t exactly perceive a grown adult drinking their woes away, throwing a tantrum, playing video games, or trying to impose their wills on others through force to be committing simple “mischief.” However, in the grand scheme, we must reflect and understand that much of what we do as adults rewards us little more than the mischief we pillory our children for.

It is fine and nice to implore us to find a master “old in virtue and holiness,” so that we may admire and see them as a role model of sorts, but the true implication of the Buddha’s words here is much more demanding than that. Can you achieve victory over life? Are you capable of spending a day reflecting, or even an hour? Or is it preferable for you to live in ignorance, feeding your inner child, instead of aging well your inner sage? I know my inner child has been getting fat off of Halloween candy, and the outer adult suffers gravely for this mischief. These “masters” achieve lifelong wisdom through persistent contemplation and reflection. What will you have achieved by the time you’re called away from this realm of the living?