大方便佛報恩經 3.56

3.56

The Buddha told the disciples: “You should guard the mouth; the fault and peril of the mouth is worse than a raging fire. Toward parents and the saṃgha, one should speak with praise and gentle words, constantly mindful of their kindness. The saṃgha is a field of merit beyond the three realms; parents are the supreme field of merit within the three realms. Why is this? Within the saṃgha are the four pairs, eight types, and twelve worthy sages; offering to them yields merit, and advancing [in practice] one can realize the path. As for parents, they carry [the child] in their arms for ten months, turning the dry and removing the wet, suckling and nurturing them to adulthood, teaching them skills, caring for them as needed; and when [the child] goes forth from household life and practices to attain liberation, crossing the sea of birth and death, they benefit both themselves and all sentient beings.”