佛說父母恩難報經

Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika. At that time the Blessed One said to the bhikṣus: Parents have a great and profound kindness toward their children; they nourish and nurse them, they raise them in accordance with the seasons… and thus the bodies of their children come to maturity.

Suppose there were a person who carried his father upon his right shoulder and his mother upon his left shoulder, and did so for a thousand years, and even when his parents relieved themselves upon his shoulders, his heart held no resentment toward his father and mother; even such a child would still not have fully repaid the kindness of his parents.

If one wishes to repay the kindness of one's parents: when the parents have no right faith, one should counsel the parents to have right faith, so that they may find a place of peace and security in that faith; if the parents have not yet received the precepts, one should counsel them to take up the precepts and the refuges, so that they may find a place of peace and security in receiving the precepts; if the parents are unwilling to listen to the Dharma, one should counsel them to listen, so that they may obtain the bliss that comes from such listening; if the parents are greedy, one should counsel the parents to practice the virtue of giving, joyfully encouraging them so that the parents may find a place of peace and security.

If the parents lack wisdom, one should help the parents to learn and to awaken to clear wisdom, joyfully encouraging them so that they may obtain that bliss.

In this way one counsels one's parents to have right faith in the Tathāgatas—the Perfectly Worthy Ones of Right and Complete Enlightenment, those Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, the Well-Gone Ones, the Knowers of the World, the Unsurpassed Ones, the Tamers of the Path of Dharma, the Teachers of Gods and Humans, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones.[1]

And one counsels one's parents to have right faith in the Dharma; to receive the Dharma so that they may find a place of peace and security, to understand the profound teachings, and to attain in the present the fruit of that lofty meaning; such a one is wise, having clearly penetrated this matter of counseling.

Again, one counsels one's parents to have right faith in the Noble Assembly (the Jewel of the Saṅgha). The Noble Assembly of the Tathāgata are those who practice in complete purity, who are exemplary and ever harmonious, who have accomplished the Dharmas: accomplished in Morality, accomplished in Concentration, accomplished in Wisdom, accomplished in Liberation, accomplished in the Knowledge and Vision of Liberation.[2]

The reason they are called the Noble Assembly is that these ones have accomplished and are accomplishing the Four Pairs and Eight Classes [3]—this is the Noble Assembly of the Tathāgata, those worthy of veneration and esteem, to be honored and revered; the members of the Noble Assembly are the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.

Thus, O filial children, you should counsel your parents to practice the (way of life that is the) path of loving-kindness and compassion.

Now, the bhikṣus have two kinds of children: the child begotten (giving birth to the Dharma) and the child reared (cultivating the Dharma). Thus the bhikṣu has two children, and therefore the bhikṣus must bring forth their begotten child—that is, the mouth should ever utter words flavored with the Dharma. Therefore, O bhikṣus, you should cultivate yourselves in this way.

At that time the bhikṣus, having heard the teaching of the Blessed One, joyfully received it and put it into practice.