佛說父母恩難報經

Thus have I heard. At one time the Bhagavān (the World-Honored One) was dwelling at the Jeṭavana, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍada, in the city of Śrāvastī.

At that time the World-Honored One addressed the Bhikṣus: "Parents are of great benefit to their children: nursing and rearing them to grow, nourishing them in accordance with the seasons, so that the Four Great Elements (Catvāri mahā-bhūtāni) are completed. Were a child to bear his father upon his right shoulder and his mother upon his left shoulder for a thousand years, and even should they relieve themselves upon his back, yet he harbored no mind of resentment toward his parents—even so, that child would still not have fully repaid the kindness of his parents.

If one's parents have no faith, then he should exhort them so that they come to believe, and they will attain a place of peace and security.

If they have no precepts (Śīla), then he should provide them with precepts, teaching the Dharma and transmitting the Way (instruction), and they will attain a place of peace and security.

If they do not hear, then he should cause them to hear the teaching of the Dharma and the transmission of the Way, and they will attain a place of peace and security.

If they are greedy and miserly, then he should exhort them so that they give generously, encouraging them to delight in the teaching of the Dharma and the transmission of the Way, and they will attain a place of peace and security.

If they have no wisdom, then he should exhort them so that they become penetratingly wise, encouraging them to delight in the teaching of the Dharma and the transmission of the Way, and they will attain a place of peace and security.

Thus they will have faith in the Tathāgata—the Truly Worthy One, the One of Perfect and Equal Enlightenment, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, the Well-Gone One (Sugata), the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed One, the Tamer of the Path of the Dharma, the Teacher of Gods and Humans, named the Buddha, the World-Honored One. He should exhort them to have faith in the Dharma, teaching the Dharma and transmitting the Way, and they will attain a place of peace and security—the Dharmas profound and deep, attaining the Fruit in this very body, the meaning and savor profound and deep.

Thus a person of wisdom who comprehends this Conduct (Caryā) should exhort them so that they have faith in the Holy Saṃgha (Ārya-saṃgha). The Holy Saṃgha of the Tathāgata possesses conduct most pure, upright and not crooked, ever in harmony, accomplished in the Buddha-Dharma, accomplished in the precepts, accomplished in samādhi, accomplished in wisdom, accomplished in liberation, accomplished in the knowledge and vision of liberation.

It is said that the Holy Saṃgha has the Four Directions and the Four Fruits—this is the Holy Saṃgha of the Tathāgata, supremely honored and supremely precious, worthy to be revered, venerated, and looked up to, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world. In this way the children should exhort their parents to practice in accordance with what is virtuous and good.

O Bhikṣus! There are two kinds of children: the child who is born and the child who is reared—this is to say that a Bhikṣu has two children. Therefore the Bhikṣus should learn from the child who is born, whose mouth gives forth the savor of the Dharma. Thus the Bhikṣus should act in accordance with that training.

At that time the Bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha had said, were all delighted and respectfully put it into practice.

THE BUDDHA SPEAKS THE SŪTRA ON THE DIFFICULTY OF REPAYING THE KINDNESS OF PARENTS End