Iti 106 · uttaka 106
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Monks, living with Brahma are those families where, in the home, mother & father are revered by the children. Living with the first devas are those families where, in the home, mother & father are revered by the children. Living with the first teachers are those families where, in the home, mother & father are revered by the children. Living with those worthy of gifts are those families where, in the home, mother & father are revered by the children. ‘Brahma’ is a synonym for mother & father. ‘The first devas’ is a synonym for mother & father. ‘The first teachers’ is a synonym for mother & father. ‘Those worthy of gifts’ is a synonym for mother & father. Why is that? Mother & father do much for their children. They care for them, nourish them, introduce them to this world.”
Mother & father,
compassionate to their family,
are called
Brahma,
first teachers,
those worthy of gifts
from their children.
So the wise should pay them
homage,
honor,
with food & drink,
clothing & bedding,
anointing & bathing,
& washing their feet.
Performing these services to their parents,
the wise
are praised right here
and after death
rejoice in heaven.
See also: AN 2:31—32; AN 4:63
Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 licence, for free distribution only. Source: dhammatalks.org (Metta Forest Monastery).
