The Sutra Spoken by the Buddha on the Difficulty of Repaying the Kindness of Parents ( 佛说父母恩难报经 )
In this Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha gives a concise and important teaching on how to benefit one’s parents on the path to liberation. He also exhorts us to always remember the great debt we owe to them for bringing us into this world.
You can read it below, here -
The Sutra Spoken by the Buddha on the Difficulty of Repaying the Kindness of Parents
(Translated by the Tripitaka Master An Shigao from the Kingdom of Parthia during the Later Han Dynasty)
This is what I, Ānanda, personally heard. At that time, the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove of Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, in the city of Śrāvastī. The Buddha said to the bhikṣus:
“Parents provide great benefit to their children. They raise them, and they care for them at all times, enabling the full development of their children’s four elements (bodies).
Even if one carried one’s father on the right shoulder and one’s mother on the left shoulder for a thousand years, one should still not harbour any resentment towards them. Yet children who managed to do this would still fall short of repaying the kindness of their parents.”
“If one’s parents do not have faith in the Dharma, one should guide them to develop faith in the Dharma. If one’s parents do not uphold precepts, one should guide them to uphold precepts. If one’s parents do not listen to the Dharma, one should guide them to listen to the Dharma. If one’s parents are stingy and greedy, one should guide them to delight in giving. If one’s parents lack wisdom, one should guide them towards developing wisdom, and [in doing all these things,] one will enable one’s parents to attain peace and tranquillity.
“In this way, cause them to have faith in the Buddha and the Dharma—guide and teach them in such a way so that they attain peace and tranquillity. The Dharma is extremely profound and can bring about results even in this very life. The truth [of the Dharma] is very deep—you must contemplate it earnestly.”
“Thus, the wise will understand this path of practice, and they will, as a result, be able to guide beings towards having faith in the noble disciples of the Buddha. The noble disciples of the Buddha are pure, upright and not crooked, and always in harmony with others. They are accomplished in every aspect of the Dharma; they are accomplished in the precepts; they are accomplished in meditative concentration (samādhi); they are accomplished in wisdom; they are accomplished in liberation; and they are accomplished in the understanding and wisdom that comes from liberation. Disciples of the Triple Gem, [who are] the Four Pairs and Eight Types of Noble Beings, are the disciples of the Buddha. They are the most honourable and noble, and they should be revered and offered to. They are the supreme field of merit in the world.”
“Thus, children should guide their parents to cultivate loving-kindness. Bhikṣus! There are two kinds of children: those who are born of their parents, and those who are adopted by them. Between these two kinds of children, bhikṣus should learn from those who are born of their parents; they should speak the Dharma [to their parents]. This is the way bhikṣus should learn.
At that time, the bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha had taught, rejoiced and faithfully put it into practice.
佛说父母恩难报经
东汉
译者：安世高
后汉安息国三藏安世高译
闻如是：
尔时世尊告诸比丘：”父母於子，有大增益，乳哺长养，随时将育，四大得成。右肩负父、左肩负母，经历千年，正使便利背上，然无有怨心於父母，此子犹不足报父母恩。若父母无信，教令信，获安隐处；无戒，与戒教授，获安隐处；不闻；使闻教授，获安隐处；悭贪，教令好施，劝乐教授，获安隐处；无智慧，教令黠慧，劝乐教授，获安隐处。如是信如来．至真．等正觉．明行成为．善逝．世间解．无上士．道法御．天人师、号佛．世尊教，信法教授，获安隐处。诸法甚深，现身获果，义味甚深。如是智者，明通此行，教令信圣众。如来圣众甚清净，行直不曲，常和合，法法成就，戒成就、三昧成就、智慧成就、解脱成就、解脱见慧成就。所谓圣众——四双八辈，是谓如来圣众，最尊最贵，当尊奉敬仰，是世间无上福田。如是诸子！当教父母行慈。诸比丘有二子：所生子、所养子，是谓比丘有二子。是故诸比丘！当学所生子，口出法味。如是诸比丘，当作是学。“
尔时诸比丘闻佛所说，欢喜奉行。
白话
佛说父母恩难报经
后汉安息国三藏安世高译
这是我阿难亲自听闻到的，那时，佛陀在舍卫城祇树给孤独园中。 佛陀告诉比丘们：“父母对于子女有大利益，抚养他们成长，随时照顾他们，令他们四大成就。右肩担着父亲，左肩担着母亲，历经千年，也不能对父母有怨恨心，这样的子女都不足以报答父母恩情。”
“如果父母对于佛法不信任，应该引导他们相信佛法。如果父母不受戒，应该引导他们受戒。如果父母不听闻佛法，应该引导他们听闻佛法。如果父母悭贪，应该引导他们乐善好施。如果父母没有智慧，应该引导他们产生智慧。令其得到安稳”
“如此，相信佛陀，相信佛法，教授引导他们令他们内心平静。佛法甚深，可令他们此生获果，此义甚深，你们要认真思考。” “如此，智者便能明白此修行方式，从而教导众生。佛弟子们清净，正直不曲，常和合，法法成就、戒成就、三昧成就、智慧成就、解脱成就、解脱知见慧成就。三宝弟子四双八辈，即是佛弟子，是最尊最贵，应该尊重供养，是世间无上福田。”
“如此，子女们应该引导父母修行慈心。比丘们！子女有两种，一是所生，二是所养。由此两种子女中，比丘们应当学习所生，口能说法。如此才是比丘们学习的方式。” 比丘听闻佛陀所说法，欢喜奉行。
You can download the bilingual English/Chinese pdf here.
