Gratitude To Parents

Gratitude To Parents


Seeing how wayward children are nowadays, and how parents are NOT disciplining them, but over-indulging and pampering (more like spoiling) them,

I feel it's high time, and an immediate and urgent need for me to bring out a teaching by The Buddha.

No matter how well, or badly, our parents may have treated us in the past, or treats us,

So long as we follow what The Buddha has expounded in this Teaching i.e.

Conviction ( in Kamma & The Triple Gems ), Virtues/Morality, Generosity, and Discernment/Wisdom,

We would have repaid our debt to them.

Read through the Teaching and reflect on it carefully.

Enjoy!

Kataññu Suttas: Gratitude

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.031.than.html


"Monks, I will teach you the level of a person of no integrity and the level of a person of integrity. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."

"As you say, lord," the monks responded.

The Blessed One said: "Now what is the level of a person of no integrity?

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A person of no integrity is ungrateful, doesn't acknowledge the help given to him.

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This ingratitude, this lack of acknowledgment is second nature among rude people. It is entirely on the level of a person of no integrity.

"A person of integrity is grateful & acknowledges the help given to him.

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This gratitude, this acknowledgment is second nature among fine people. It is entirely on the level of a person of integrity.

"I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay.

Which two?

Your mother & father.

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Even if you were to carry your mother on one shoulder & your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, & rubbing their limbs, and they were to defecate & urinate right there [on your shoulders],

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You would NOT in that way pay or repay your parents.

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If you were to establish your mother & father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would NOT in that way pay or repay your parents.

Why is that?

Mother & father do much for their children.

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They care for them, they nourish them, they introduce them to this world.

BUT
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Anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother & father, settles & establishes them in Conviction;

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Rouses his unvirtuous mother & father, settles & establishes them in Virtue;

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Rouses his stingy mother & father, settles & establishes them in Generosity;

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Rouses his foolish mother & father, settles & establishes them in Discernment:

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To this extent one pays & repays one's mother & father."

- AN 2.31-32: Kataññu Sutta — Gratitude

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.031.than.html

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"Treasure and Cherish when we have something,

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And when it's gone,

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Be Thankful and Grateful for having had it Once."

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** Read

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1) 'The Mynah and Her Nestling' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/11/mynah-and-her-nestling.html

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2) 'What is, What is Not' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/09/what-is-what-is-not.html

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PS : The above Teaching does NOT only apply to our parents, BUT also applies / extends to people who have helped us, been kind to us -

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If we can encourage / establish them in

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Conviction in Kamma, The Triple Gems ( The Buddha, The Dhamma and The Sangha i.e. The Noble Ones ),

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Generosity,

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Morality / Virtue, and

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Discernment / Wisdom,

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We would have repaid our 'debts' to them.