26) 报答持名

Reciting the Buddha’s Name to Repay your Filial Debts

The filial debt you owe to your parents is the greatest debt of a l. How can it ever be repaid? To provide all their necessities and earn titles and honors to glorify their names are mundane ways. While these actions are meritorious, from the vantage point of Truth, they are not the ideal, perfect way (because they still fall within the cycle of suffering that is the human condition). There is only one perfect way – it is to recite the Buddha’s name and counsel your parents to do likewise, dedicating all the merits and virtues toward rebirth in the Pure Land. You will thus sow a diamond seed, as in the future, both you and your parents will be liberated. Moreover, one utterance of the Buddha’s name can eradicate the karma of countless transgressions and afflictions. Therefore, anyone who wishes to repay his profound debt to his parents cannot fail to learn about the Pure Land method.

父母之恩，恩之最大者也。宜如何报之哉？一切饮食供奉，立功扬名，衡以世间之 法，报非不善，然究非了局，我惟报以念佛为彼迥向西方，已为下一金刚种子，再出 头来，自有解脱时分，况无边罪障，悉能消释乎？欲报恩者，不可不知此法。

Commentary

Providing for the everyday needs of our parents is merely fulfilling our filial obligations according to the ways of the world.

If our parents do not cultivate transcendental causes, they are bound to flounder in the Triple Realm, revolving endlessly in the cycle of Birth and Death. How can this be considered perfect devotion on our part? What, then, is the path of supreme devotion? It is the Pure Land method of reciting the Buddha’s name, seeking rebirth in the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha at the end of this retribution body (lifetime). Thanks to the power of Amitabha Buddha’s vows (Other-power), all evil karma, be it as heavy of a huge stone block, can be easily trans-ported across the river of Birth and Death.(12) Thus, a sma l effort reaps great results. Why are we still undecided?