佛說孝子經

The Buddha asked the śramaṇas: "When parents give birth to a child, the mother carries the child for ten months, her body afflicted with grave illness. When the day of birth arrives, the mother faces peril and the father is gripped with fear—a condition truly beyond words. After the birth, the mother lies in the damp place and yields the dry place to the child; with utmost devotion she even transforms her very blood into milk.

Day after day she wipes and bathes the child, prepares its clothing, instructs the young one, offers gifts to teachers and friends, and presents tribute to the sovereign and to elders… If the child is happy, then the parents too rejoice; if the child is anxious and sorrowful, then the hearts of the parents wither. When the child goes out the door, they long for it; when it returns into the house, they at once inquire after it, their hearts ever worried and afraid that the child may meet with misfortune…

The kindness of parents being such, how then is it to be repaid?"

The śramaṇas replied: "One need only pay homage with all one's heart, and make offerings with a heart of loving-kindness (maitrī-citta), in order to repay the kindness of one's parents."

The World-Honored One spoke again: "Should a child nourish its parents—bringing the hundred flavors of sweet ambrosia (amṛta) to its parents' mouths, delighting its parents' ears with every sound of heavenly music, choosing fine clothing and raiment to drape upon its parents' bodies, bearing its parents upon its two shoulders to travel round about the four seas, and in the end giving up its own years and very life to nourish and repay the kindness of its parents… can this be called filial piety?"

The śramaṇas said: "Filial piety alone is the greatest thing; there is nothing further to add."

The World-Honored One declared: "This is not yet filial piety. If the parents are foolish and benighted—not revering the Three Honored Ones; fierce, perverse, cruel, obstinate; given over to thieving and seizing by force, acting contrary to reason and right; lustful and infatuated with outward beauty of form; speaking falsely against the principles of the Way; indulging in dissolute confusion contrary to what is upright… should such seeds of malice arise, then the child ought to strive earnestly to remonstrate and to set forth what is right, that the parents may understand.

If, through delusion, they have not yet awakened, then at once perform deeds of righteousness to transform them: guide them with parables, set before them the prisons of kings and rulers, the shameful punishments of those who are imprisoned… Say to them: 'This is not the proper rule of conduct; the body becomes steeped in every poison, drawing calamity upon itself and losing its life. When life is ended, the spirit-consciousness departs, bound and fettered upon Mount Tai… alone one is steeped in scalding water, scorched by burning fire, racked by ten thousand poisons… and there is none to come to one's rescue.

It is because of such evil deeds that one meets with such disaster.'

Suppose that even so they still do not change—then sigh and weep, cry out and wail, refusing food and forsaking drink… Though the parents may not clearly understand, they will surely, out of the pain of their love and affection and their fear that the child may die… therefore reluctantly endure it, and constrain their hearts to revere the Way.

If the parents devote their will to honoring and upholding the Five Precepts of the Buddha—having a benevolent and compassionate heart that does not kill; pure and yielding, not stealing; chaste and undefiled, not given to lust; keeping their word and not deceiving; filial and obedient and not drunken… Then within the clan, the parents are kindly, the children filial and obedient, the husband upright, the wife faithful; the nine kindred dwell in harmony, the servants comply, all are steeped in benefit, and even from afar people receive the kindness with utmost gratitude.

The Buddhas of the ten directions, the devas, nāgas, ghosts, and spirits, kings and rulers possessing the principles of the Way, ministers ever loyal, and the common people of the myriad clans—there is none who does not revere and love them, and the spirits secretly aid them to peace and security.

Consider, by contrast, a rule of governance turned upside down, officials who flatter and fawn, fierce children, demonic wives, a thousand wrongs and ten thousand monstrosities… is it not better that these be done away with? As for the parents, in this world they will dwell ever at peace, and when they die their souls will be reborn up in the heavens, will gather together with the Buddhas, will hear the words of the Dharma, will attain the Way and save the world, and will be parted from suffering for the long ages to come."

The Buddha said to the śramaṇas: "Looking upon the world, there is no filial piety. Only this is filial piety: to be able to cause one's parents to forsake evil and do good, to uphold and observe the Five Precepts, to keep the Three Refuges, and to revere and serve them even unto death. The kindness of parents is heavy—suckling and nourishing… These immeasurable graces, if one is not able to use the resolve of the Three Honored Ones to transform one's parents, then though one perform filial support, it is just the same as being unfilial.

Do not take a base and wicked wife who departs from virtuous conduct. Do not draw near to women full of lust, doting upon beauty of form without ever wearying… for this runs contrary to filial obedience, slays one's parents, throws the governance of the state into chaos, and sends the myriad people into exile and ruin. The fundamental thing is to gather the heart upon bestowing kindness, to examine oneself by rule and standard, to keep the heart gentle and delighting in benevolence, ever striving to advance in virtue, the intent hidden and serene, learning until one reaches the profound and far-reaching, one's name resounding even to the devas, one's clarity equal to that of the sages.

But to defile oneself with wives and concubines, the will deluded and benighted, indulging without restraint in the lust for female beauty, craving forms charming and seductive… these ten thousand transformations of cause and condition cause the husband's wisdom to grow thin and faint, and the scholar's vision to become shallow… Beholding such things, he does not understand what is subtle and marvelous; little by little his resolve recedes, and he loses his very life.

Following the cunning and crooked devices of the Spirit of Great Drought, the demons of folly stir up confusion. Some bring harm upon their parents, slay their sovereign, give themselves over to lust and passion, are envious and slothful, scatter their hearts in delusion, and act on a level with the birds and beasts. From ancient times until now, there has been nothing that has not, through such things, slain parents and destroyed clans. Therefore the śramaṇa ever dwells alone and forms no pair, purifying that resolve, taking the Way as his work, and upholding this Bright Precept (Clear Precept).

To be a king is to keep the four seas in peace; to be a minister is to be loyal, and with benevolence to nourish the people. Thus the father is enlightened, the children filial and kind, the husband worthy of trust, the wife loyal and chaste.

When the upāsaka (layman) and the upāsikā (laywoman) practice in this way, then life after life they will meet the Buddha, behold the Dharma, and attain the Way."

When the Buddha had thus spoken, the disciples rejoiced.

THE SŪTRA SPOKEN BY THE BUDDHA ON THE FILIAL CHILD The End