父母恩重經 1.3

1.3

佛告阿難。此經名父母恩重經。若有一切眾生。能為父母作福造經燒香請佛禮拜供養三寶。或飲食眾僧。當知是人能報父母其恩。帝釋梵王諸天人民一切眾生聞經歡喜。發菩薩心。㘁哭動地。淚下如雨五體投地。信受頂禮佛足。歡喜奉行。

are now old and do not have much energy, he has no wish to see them all day long or have any intimate conversation [with them].

“In due time, one parent dies and [the other now] lives all alone. Lonely after the death of their spouse, the parent may now be compared to a traveler without kin who is staying in another person’s house. Having no warm clothes to protect himself against the cold in winter, he encounters numerous difficulties. In addition, an aged and depressed parent may become infected with lice and cannot sleep either day or night. At last he heaves a great sigh of disappointment with life, repines at his own misfortune, and says, ‘What actions in a past life have caused me to have such an unfilial child?’

“When the parents call on their child asking for a favor, he becomes furiously angry [with them]. Not only he but his wife and [their] children abuse his parents, laughing scornfully with their heads down. In this case the wife is unfilial as well, and [such an unfilial child] deserves the punishment of having his body torn to pieces again. Treating one’s aged parents in the way described here is equal to the five grave sins expounded in the Buddhist sutras.

“When some urgent problem arises and the parents call on the child for help, he will only respond one time out of ten. Thus he is constantly disobeying his parents, shouting out furiously and full of scorn, ‘You had better die soon! Why are you still in this world?’ Hearing such words from their child, the parents grieve and suffer intense agony. With eyes swollen from weeping, they cry, ‘As a baby you would have been lost without us, you could not have survived. We brought you into this world but perhaps it would have been better if we had never had a child.’”

Continuing his sermon, the Buddha told Ānanda, “If any good man or woman, for the sake of their own father and mother, keeps, chants, and copies even one passage or one verse from this sutra, which in its full title is called the ‘Great Perfect Wisdom Great Vehicle Sutra on the Profundity of Filial Love,’ if only one passage or one verse reaches their ears and eyes, then the five rebellious sins will be erased completely. Nothing sinful will remain

forever. They will now see the buddhas, hear the Buddhist teachings, and soon be able to attain liberation.”

At this time, Ānanda rose from his seat. Wearing the upper robe over his left shoulder to show his respect, he knelt on his right knee, joined his palms, and said, “World-honored One, what is the title of this sutra? How should we receive and keep it?”

Thereupon the Buddha told Ānanda, “This sutra is entitled the ‘Sutra on the Profundity of Filial Love.’ Any sentient being can bring blessings to his parents. When he copies this sutra, offers incense, prays to the buddhas, worships them, and makes offerings to the Three Jewels, such as providing almsfood for the community of monks, then it may be known that he indeed repays the kindness of his father and mother.”

Having thus heard the Buddha preach this sutra, Indra, Brahma, the gods, human beings, and all other sentient beings present at that time were greatly pleased and awakened the aspiration for enlightenment (bodhicitta). Their joyful cries shook the earth and their tears streamed down like rain. Worshiping the Buddha, they fell prostrate on the ground and bowed to the Buddha’s feet. Thereafter they upheld the Buddha’s teaching and delightedly practiced it.