Nìng shě qiānjīn xiàn zhēn Fó; bù bá yī máo chā zhū shēn.

寧捨千金獻真佛, 不拔一毛插豬身。

Lit It is better to contribute a thousand [ounces of] gold to a real Buddha than to stick a “feather” onto a pig's body.

Fig It is better to spend more on something worthwhile than to waste [even] a dime on something which is not worth it.

Note [Note: máo means both “feather” and “ten cents.”]

Topics Buddha COMPARISON INVESTMENT MONEY qiānjīn (gold) QUALITY VALUE