pitṛ-mātṛ-sūtra
Parents' Sutra
I praise all the Enlightened ones and bodhisattvas!
So I heard once.
The Blessed One was in the garden of the householder Anathapindada in the Jethavana Grove in Shravasti with a blissful gathering-sangha of disciple-listeners.
There the Blessed One said:
Monks! In any house, both parents have the purity of Brahma, so that in the house the pattern of piety is formed and the pious action-service is formed. Why?
Monks! On the basis of the family [noble], both parents of the son of the family [noble] are like Brahma.
Monks! In any house, both parents appear as teacher-acharyas, if in the house the pattern of piousness is formed, pious offerings are manifested, and pious action-service is formed. Why?
Monks. On the basis of the [noble] family, both parents of the son of the [noble] family are like the teacher-acharya!
Monks! In any house, both parents appear as acceptable for bestowing all things, when in the house the pattern of noble is formed, noble offerings are manifested, and noble action-service is formed. Why?
Monks. On the basis of the [noble] family, both parents of the son of the [noble] family are acceptable for the giving of all things.
Monks! In any house, both parents appear as people, if the house forms the pattern of noble, manifests noble offerings, and forms noble action-service. Why?
Monks. On the basis of the [noble] family, both parents of the son of the [noble] family are like people.
Monks! In any house, both parents appear as gods, if in the house the pattern of noble is formed, noble offerings are manifested and noble actions-service are formed. Why?
Monks. On the basis of the [noble] family, both parents of the son of the [noble] family are like gods.
The Blessed one said so. Sugata said so. Then the Guru said additionally:
Both parents are like Brahma, like the teacher-acharya, worthy of the gifts of all children, are human beings and gods. Therefore, the wise do service by being respectful of them, by wrapping them and washing them, by belittling their feet, [offering] food, drink, clothes, and covers for their beds and seats. This is how veneration is carried out. By this the wise do not become downcast, but after death they are guided to heaven.
The blessed one said so. The monks rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.
This concludes the sutra of the parents.