A very Buddhist Father's Day

Amber Dorrian and Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly, two sutras on gratitude (kataññu), based on translation by the American Buddhist monk Geoff DeGraff aka Ajahn Thanissaro (AN 2.31-32)

Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later the Buddha, was a son, husband, and father who gave his family the greatest gift possible -- enlightenment.

 

Parental dilemma: Can my kids help me?

The Buddha said: "Disciples, I will teach you the characteristic of a person without integrity and the characteristic of a person of integrity. Listen and pay close attention. I will speak."

 

"Very well, venerable sir!" they responded.

 

The Blessed One then said: "Now what is the characteristic of a person without integrity? A person without integrity is ungrateful and unthankful.

 

"This lack of gratitude and thankfulness is advocated by the rude. It is characteristic of people without integrity.

[What is the characteristic of a person of integrity?] "A person of integrity is grateful and thankful. Gratitude and thankfulness is advocated by the civil. It is characteristic of people of integrity."

  

Can one ever thank one's father?

Can my kids help? (Carolyn Ann Ryan)

{II,iv,2} The Buddha explained: "Disciples, I tell you, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? One's mother and father. 

 

"Even if one were to carry mother on one shoulder and father on the other shoulder for a century, and were to look after them by oiling, massaging, bathing, and rubbing their limbs, and they were to soil themselves right there [on one's shoulders], one would not in that way be able to repay them.

"Even if one were to establish mother and father as absolute rulers of this great earth, which abounds in the seven treasures, one nevertheless would not in that way be able to repay them.

"Why?

  

"Mother and father do much for their children [most of which they do not know about]. They care for them, nourish them, introduce them to this world.

There is a way help dad!

A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when they are empty (Mariaot)

 
"But anyone who 

• rouses one's unbelieving mother and father, settles and establishes them in confidence (conviction or a kind of "faith" that can be verified)
• rouses one's unvirtuous mother and father, settles and establishes them in virtue
• rouses one's stingy mother and father, settles and establishes them in generosity
• rouses one's foolish mother and father, settles and establishes them in wisdom

-- to this extent one is able to adequately repay one's mother and father."

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• More from the American monk Tan Geoff MN 110; SN 7.14; AN 4.73; Iti 106

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