法苑珠林 49.15

49.15

又四十二章經云。佛言。飯凡人百。不如飯一善人。飯善人千。不如飯持五戒者一人。飯持五戒者萬人。不如飯一須陀洹。飯須陀洹百萬人。不如飯一斯陀含。飯斯陀含千萬人。不如飯一阿那含。飯阿那含一億人。不如飯一阿羅漢。飯阿羅漢十億人。不如飯辟支佛一人。飯辟支佛百億人。不如以三尊之教度其一世二親。教親千億人。不如飯一佛舉願求佛。舉願求佛欲濟眾生也。飯善人福最大深重。凡人事天地鬼神。不如孝其親矣。二親最神也。

Furthermore, the Sūtra of Forty-two Sections states: The Buddha said: 'Feeding one hundred ordinary people is not as good as feeding one virtuous person. Feeding one thousand virtuous people is not as good as feeding one person who observes the five precepts. Feeding ten thousand people who observe the five precepts is not as good as feeding one srotāpanna. Feeding one million srotāpannas is not as good as feeding one sakṛdāgāmin. Feeding ten million sakṛdāgāmins is not as good as feeding one anāgāmin. Feeding one hundred million anāgāmins is not as good as feeding one arhat. Feeding one billion arhats is not as good as feeding one pratyekabuddha. Feeding ten billion pratyekabuddhas is not as good as using the teachings of the Three Honored Ones to deliver one's parents of this single lifetime. Teaching one hundred billion parents is not as good as feeding one Buddha, generating the vow to seek Buddhahood, wishing to deliver sentient beings. The merit of feeding a virtuous person is of the greatest and profoundest weight. For ordinary people to serve heaven, earth, spirits, and deities is not as good as being filial to their parents. The two parents are the most divine.'