Wenda20171217A 09:36
(Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
UNDERSTANDING THE MEANING OF “FILIAL PIETY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT VIRTUE”
Caller: Master teaches us that “Filial piety is the most important virtue”; Buddhist practitioners should regard filial piety as a foundation in Buddhism practice. Oftentimes, all of us are diligently practising the spirit of filial piety.
Master Jun Hong Lu: What does “filial” mean? It means sincerely helping and caring for the elderly. When you are good to your master, your own parents and all elderlies, this is a demonstration of extraordinary filial piety. Conversely, being only filial to one’s own parents is an act of ordinary filial piety.
Bodhisattvas regard all sentient beings in this world as Their relatives; all elderlies as Their parents, and the younger ones as Their children. Only with this kind of spirit can one be seen as placing filial piety above all else. Do not think filial piety is only confined to being filial to your own parents.
If your parents are addicted to gambling or commit evil deeds every day, and you remain filial to them, you effectively take the side of the evildoer! For example, if your father is a fishmonger, do you think being filial means helping him slaughter the fish every day? This explains why it is important to have wisdom because without it, you will not be able to practise real filial piety.
How do you practise filial piety? Should you be dutiful to them or not? After all, they are your birth parents, if they say, “Let’s go and help me kill someone”, are you going to comply?
What is filial piety? It is an education. The Chinese word ‘education’ (教) consists of two Chinese characters, with the word ‘filial’ (孝) on the left and ‘culture’ (文) on the right. The culture of filial piety is an education which essentially means a good part of education is learning to be filial.
Should you be filial towards all parents in the world or only to your own parents? Do you think Master is filial? I have been filial to so many elderlies around the world, regarding them as my own parents. My mother passed away when I was 13, and my father has passed on too, who else can I be filial to? I am filial to all parents in this world, demonstrating the Bodhisattva’s great mercy and boundless compassion and living up to the spirit of Mahayana Buddhism!
Let me tell you how to practise filial piety. It serves no purpose when you tell yourself, “I must be filial to my father even though he berates someone” or “I must remain filial to my mother even though she commits unwholesome deeds”. If you truly mean well for your parents and wish to be filial to them, you must point out their mistake when they do something wrong. If they do not heed your advice, you must perform recitation on their behalf and this is what being filial is all about.
Caller: We must learn from Master.
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