The Greatest Field of Blessings in the World – Filial Piety

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Words of  Wisdom Volume 5

Buddhist practitioners must place filial piety above everything else and regard compassion as a foundation.

Thus, we should regard those who are older than us as our elders, those who are younger as our children, and those who are of the same age as our siblings. Then we can truly have boundless compassion (无缘大慈).

< What are the Three Fields of Blessings? >

The Three Fields of Blessings (三福田) :

The Field of Reverence (敬田)

The Field of Gratitude (恩田)

The Field of Compassion (悲田) 

< The Three Fields of Blessings >  

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism in Plain Terms (Audio) Episode 23 (An Excerpt)
THE THREE FIELDS OF BLESSINGS

In Buddhism, there are three types of blessings and collectively, they are termed as the Three Fields of Blessings (三福田).
The Field of Blessings is capable of generatingthe conditions for good fortune.

The first Field of Blessings comes when you make offerings to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha (供养佛法僧) and this is called the Field of Reverence (敬田).

Today, you prostrate the moment you see the Bodhisattva, aren’t you being respectful? Do you respect the dharma? Do you respect the monastics, or monks and nuns? If you do, you have the Field of Reverence, which will generate blessings for you in the future.

The second Field of Blessings is the Field of Gratitude (恩田). If you yearn for more blessings, you must practise greater filial piety by serving your parents and teachers. You need to have a sense of gratitude and an intention to repay their kindness. This is why this field is known as the Field of Gratitude.

The third Field of Blessings is the Field of Compassion (悲田). When you see those who are pitiable, including the destitute, the sick and the handicapped, you must develop a sense of pity and compassion for them. This explains why we must give up our seats to the handicapped and why there are reserved seats for them. Why do we need to be kind to the handicapped?

There are also many aged mothers who suffer from bad back and ill health. When you are kind to them, you are seeding your own Field of Compassion.

Hence, be kind to the destitute, the poor, the sick and the disabled. You should provide and care for them with your compassion. 

Why are there people who are so blessed and not you? For one who yearns for blessings, the fastest way is to plant the seeds in the Three Fields of Blessings of Reverence, Gratitude and Compassion.   

Buddhism in Plain Terms Volume-1 Chapter 19 (An Excerpt)
BEING FILIAL TO PARENTS IS FOREMOST

Let me share a story with you. Once, there was a son who was very disrespectful towards his mother. Whenever the mother saw her son, she quivered with fear. But this son believed in Buddhism. One day, he prayed to Bodhisattvas and wished for them to bless him and show their divine presence.

To his surprise, Guan Yin Bodhisattva answered his prayer and said: “In fact, Guan Yin Bodhisattva is already in your house. It is the person who wears her clothes inside out and her shoes on the wrong feet. Just pray to that person.”

He hurried back to his house to check. When he reached the front door, he shouted and knocked impatiently on the door. Upon hearing his voice, his mum was so frightened that she accidentally put her clothes on inside out and her shoes on the wrong feet before rushing to open the door.

When the door flung open, her son was stunned but quickly realised what had happened. He understood the message of Guan Yin Bodhisattva.

The Bodhisattva wanted him to show great care and respect towards his mother before praying to the Bodhisattva. Without doing so, the son simply did not have the basic qualification to pray to the Bodhisattva. That’s why it’s so important to understand the moral of the story. 

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” (百善孝为先); 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 (大孝). Conversely, being only filial to one’s own parents is an act of ordinary filial piety (小孝).

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 (孝为先). 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 (助纣为虐)! 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 (孝顺的文化就是“教”，教育就在孝顺当中).

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. 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms (Radio Program) Volume 2 Chapter 13 (An Excerpt)
HEAVEN IS OUT OF REACH FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNFILIAL

Master Jun Hong Lu: Filial piety (孝悌), loyalty and honesty (忠信), propriety and justice (礼义), sense of integrity and shame (廉耻) are very important virtues that you must be aware of.

As your Master, I’d like to say right here that for those who are not even filial to their parents, no matter how hard they pray, they will not be able to ascend to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss or the Four Sagely Realms. There is no way they can make it to heaven.

People who can’t even be filial to their parents and show loving care for their loved ones, obviously lack compassion. There is a 99% chance that such people lack the thought consciousness of a spiritual cultivator. In other words, they do not hold in esteem such awareness (没有崇尚学佛人的意识) and for that they are the subpar Buddhist practitioners. 

< Ways To Show Filial Piety > 

Wenda20170203   00:51 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
(An Excerpt)
THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS FILIAL PIETY 

Caller: Hi Master, I would like to ask about certain aspects of filial piety towards our parents. Some Buddhist practitioners’ parents do not practise Buddhism. Hence, as children, they will offer Little Housesand perform life liberation for their parents but they hardly get in touch with their parents. Can this be considered being filial to their parents?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, of course. Take a look at the monastics, they may be physically apart from their parents, but they can pray for blessings and good health for their parents; and bestow strength on them. They can even transfer some of their meritorious blessings to their parents.

There are many ways to exercise filial piety, you do not necessarily have to be by their side to take care of them. Most parents would want to see their children turn out successful, ambitious and noble.

Here you are, by their side doing those works that can actually be done by the nurses and you consider that an act of filial piety? If you can recite the Buddhist scriptures for them and help relieve them from pain and suffering, it is far better than having you by their side, tending to their needs.

You may be massaging them and bringing them the towels but none of these acts are capable of freeing them from the excruciating agony that they are undergoing. Conversely, by performing the recitation and offering the Little Houses, their torment will cease. Think about it, which is a better gesture of filial piety?  

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Public Talk, New York, USA – 14 October 2018
(An Excerpt)
WHAT IS FILIAL PIETY? 

Master Jun Hong Lu:

• In this lifetime, if you have parents who are poor, you must practise filial piety by providing for them financially (财施); 
• If your parents are old, fragile and sickly, practise filial piety by taking care of them;
• If your parents are short-tempered, practise filial piety by understanding them;
• If your parents are diligent and thrifty, practise filial piety by helping them;
• If your parents are assertive (固执己见), practise filial piety by going along with them (你要顺着他为孝顺);
• For parents who are naggy, practise filial piety by listening to them.
• And, for all the support your parents have rendered you, practise filial piety by fulfilling their hope for you. 

Master Jun Hong Lu, Words of Wisdom Volume 2 佛言佛语(二)
AVOID WORRYING OUR PARENTS 

Learn to adjust your mentality and avoid worrying your parents by sharing your stress with them.

Practise filial piety by easing their minds and taking responsibility for your own karma and your lives.

学会调节心态，孝敬父母，不能跟父母讲太多有压力的事，要让父母放心，自己业自己背，必须学会自己承担。 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s World Buddhist Fellowship Meeting (Q&A Session) | Hong Kong | 4 July 2018
REQUESTING A CHILD TO FINANCE A MERITORIOUS ACT, BOTH THE MOTHER AND CHILD WILL HAVE MERITS 

Question: Some elderly mothers are not financially sound but wish to volunteer at many of Master Lu’s Public Talks; therefore, they approach their children to assist financially. Will this create a new karma for the mother to repay the child in the future?
Under such a situation, will the child have any merits? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: Both the child and the mother will have merits. So long as it is a righteous act, it is perfectly alright for the mother to ask for financial assistance from the child because the mother is not using it for gambling.

After all, she has raised the child to adulthood and hence, if the child can fund his or her mother in performing a meritorious act, the child will also benefit from it. However, the child must give the money willingly and the mother must not force the child to give. 

< Common Situations Faced By Buddhist Practitioners When Fulfilling Filial Duties > 

Wenda20170818 01:02:21 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
HOW SHOULD BUDDHIST PRACTITIONERS MANAGE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE ELDERS?

Caller: Filial piety and paying respect to elders is a traditional virtue of the Chinese. Many Buddhist friends know about these morals. However, in real life, it is hard to maintain a harmonious relationship with the elders at all times. May Master teach us how Buddhist practitioners should manage their relationships with the elders?

Master Jun Hong Lu: First of all, you should have pity on sentient beings, and always contemplate how hard it has been for your parents to raise you. Parents do have some deep-seated bad habits (劣根性) as they still haven’t started to cultivate. Some parents are not well-educated, some have many deep-seated bad habits, they are bad tempered and their children may find their shortcomings a little annoying.

However, we should view this from the lens of compassion and filial piety. Regardless of their shortcomings, we must learn to tolerate and accept. After all, they are our parents; they have educated, nurtured and raised us. As Buddhist practitioners, we must have compassion, we must take pity on them. Contemplate on whether they would be able to outlive you whenever hatred arises within you.

If they pass away in the next couple of years, you would be sad. By harbouring such thought, you will gradually comprehend the notion of impermanence. They are pathetic. They have reached the tail-end of their life and time is running out, and yet, they do not know what Buddhism is, and the meaning of being spiritually cultivated. You, however, have already learned at a young age how to cultivate spiritually.

Why would you, as a Bodhisattva in the human realm, who cultivate spiritually, be bothered by those who will soon leave this world, ones who have yet to encounter Buddhism and have so little blessing?

Why would you still want to quarrel with them? Does this not reflect poorly on your spiritual cultivation?

Caller: That’s true.

Master Jun Hong Lu: OK. By saying so, do you understand me?

Caller: Yes. Thank you, Master.

Wenda20190125 15:31 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
WAYS TO AVOID SHOULDERING THE KARMIC OBSTACLES WHEN PROVIDING FINANCIALLY FOR NON-BUDDHIST PARENTS

Caller: Parents who use money from their children to commit acts of killing or consume non-vegetarian food, will cause their children to shoulder their karmic obstacles. A Buddhist friend would like to give his parents, who have yet to practise Buddhism, some money to celebrate Lunar New Year. In this regard, what should his prayer request be in order to avoid shouldering his parents’ karmic obstacles?

Master Jun Hong Lu: You may say, “I, <full name>, would like to show filial piety by giving some money to my parents <father’s name> and <mother’s name>, I rejoice in hope that they will use this money to do kind deeds; however, if the money is used inappropriately, they shall bear their own karmic obstacles.”

Shuohua20130118  05:07 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
HOW TO UNTIE THE KARMIC KNOTS BETWEEN PARENTS AND CHILDREN

Caller: Master, you often mention that one must be filial to parents. Many children have deep karmic knots with their parents whereby in this present life the children are claiming their karmic dues from their parents who had accumulated these debts in their past lives.

In such cases, if the children are filial towards their parents instead of being disrespectful to them, and at the same time the parents take good care of the children with proper upbringing and diligently repay their karmic debts. This family will eventually resolve their negative affinities and things will get better. Is my understanding correct from the perspective of cause and effect?

Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s correct. If the parents are karmically indebted to the child, and instead of seeking repayments from the parents, the child treats the parents very well, isn’t this rendering good for evil (以德报怨)? Eventually, in the next rebirth,
the child will not be reborn into this family as the affinity between them has ceased. 

Caller: I understand. Would the recitation of the Heart Sutra and Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots expedite the elimination of the negative affinity?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Absolutely!

< How Should We Sow Blessings For Our Future Generations? >

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism in Plain Terms Volume 1 Chapter 23
The Ability to See through the True Nature and Let Go Is PrajnaWisdom (An Excerpt)
PASS VIRTUES INSTEAD OF WEALTH TO CHILDREN

If your descendants are more capable than you, what is the point of leaving your wealth to them; if your descendants are inferior to you, does leaving your wealth to them be of any use? If your descendants are unappreciative of you, regularly making you angry and upset as they muck around gambling or get drunk all day long, then what is the point of leaving your wealth to them? You are just increasing their chances of creating more sins/negative karma. You are essentially causing harm to them!

Rather, you should, leave behind virtues – the foremost inheritance a person can give to their children (自己多留一点德性给孩子比什么都好). If parents fight constantly with one another, what do they leave to their child? If the child has good prospects, they will not care about your wealth. If the child is not good, and they are inferior to you, what’s the point of giving them your wealth?

The more wealth you leave will only create more potential confrontations among your children, like legal action against each other over their inheritance. Only parents, who are wise, know what they should leave behind to their children. 

< How should we view our relationship with our parents? >

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism in Plain Terms Volume 1 Chapter 30
When Affliction Approaches, Be Indifferent
SELF-BORN AND SELF-CEASED CAUSES AND CONDITIONS

You must look beyond the superficial nature of things. If you don’t, and you’re unable to let go, then it becomes something that matters to you. Remember: everything in this world arises from a combination of causes and conditions, and us being alive in this world is just a part of all that.

Causes and conditions are both self-born and self-ceased (因缘，是自生自灭的). When something is born due to a cause, it will also cease to be as the conditions ripen. It’s just like the way in which our mothers gave birth to us.

When we become adults and they pass away, so too does our relationship with them disappear – it ceases. In fact, the relationship we have with our mothers in this lifetime is just a manifestation of a karmic affinity (conditions). This is what causes and conditions are all about. Causes and conditions are self-born and self-ceased.

Also, when there is birth, there is also cessation. These two concepts are equivalent. For instance, when a person is born, they will eventually die one day. Or when you eat something bad, you have sowed a cause and will experience stomach irritation as a consequence. Where there’s a cause, there will be a consequence. 

< Honour the Master and Revere His Teachings (尊师重道) > 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism in Plain Terms Volume 1 Chapter 1
Learning the Perfect Wisdom of the Buddha-Dharma (An Excerpt)

One must show filial piety and respect for parents and teachers. But why are the concepts of parent and teacher grouped together? As the saying goes, “A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime. (一日为师，终身为父)” This is because the teacher or master cares for their disciples with their heart and their soul. They help and protect their disciples with their energy field, which is by no means an easy task.

There are things that even your own parents may not be able to accomplish – but they can be done by the master. Although our parents have nurtured us over the years, it is the master who saves our souls and our lives by leading us on the path towards Buddhahood.

Many people suffer from illness due to karma that even their parents are  incapable of liberating them from. However, a master is able to do so, just as Guan Yin Bodhisattva is able to help a sentient being become spiritually awakened.

The word “master” here does not necessarily refer to myself, Master Jun Hong Lu, alone. Rather, it refers to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who guide us along the right path.

Having filial piety and respect are our innate virtues through which our own nature can be revealed. Moreover, respecting teachers
(师道) accords with the teachings of the Buddha; it is also built upon the foundation of filial piety.

Therefore, it is of no use talking about respecting one’s teachers if they do not even respect their parents and elders. As such, it is essential for everyone to respect one’s teachers and honour their teachings in order to accomplish their Buddhism practice (唯有尊师重道才能成就道业). 

Master Jun Hong Lu, Words of Wisdom Volume 2

All disciples should vow to respect their teachers and the Buddhist teachings they impart. Act in accordance with the karmic conditions of sentient beings. Do not be annoying and insist on going your own way: follow the opinion of the majority first.

要许愿尊师重道，随众生缘，不要让人觉得你很讨厌，众生怎么做，一切随缘。 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism in Plain Terms | Episode 12
Being Tolerant is Virtuous, Being Calm is a Form of Blessing (An Excerpt)
FOLLOW THE FOOTSTEPS OF YOUR MASTER 

You must know, to become a disciple of a master doesn’t mean worshipping the master. It is to revere the great compassion and wisdom of the Buddha’s path. The Bodhisattva wants you to observe the precepts.

We also need to understand that practisingBuddhism is practising self-respect: “I need to change myself, I can’t allow myself to continue to be decadent like before, I mustn’t give up on myself.” If you want to gain respect from others, you need to have self-respect first.

As a Buddhist practitioner, you need to leave yourself some space. Do not deviate from the right path, be sure to walk with your head held high. You have a master now, you’d better follow the master and march ahead. It’s because everything in this world is unobtainable. The truth of the universe will never change, that is suffering, emptiness and impermanence. 

< Our Beloved Master – A Father For A Lifetime > 

< Master has done so much for us, what have we done and what can we do for our Master? > 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms (Audio) Episode 7 (An Excerpt)
REGARD THE MASTER AS A BUDDHA

Only when you take the minds of sentient beings as your own (以众生之心为己心), you are perfecting yourself for the benefit of others (自利利他).

In Buddhism, it is often said that one must learn to honour the masters and revere their teachings, and regard them as Buddhas (尊师重道，视师如佛). Why should you regard your master as a Buddha? There is a reason behind it.

First of all, you are well aware of your master’s morality. You are keen to learn from this master and you go ahead and do so. On the contrary, if you regard your master as a mere mortal (视师如凡), you will certainly find faults with him (必寻师过), and end up disparaging the Dharma (由此轻法). 

In the past, many young monks in the monasteries held their masters in low regard, as someone no different from an ordinary folk. For sure, they would find faults with their masters, right?

Consequently, they would fail to grasp the valuable teachings shared by their masters, which would ultimately lead to their contempt for the Dharma. In other words, as you begin to disrespect the dharma, it is more likely that you will deviate from the right path.

Despite the relentless efforts of Jigong, the Living Buddha (济公活佛), to eradicate evil and promote good in the human realm, there were still many who did not show reverence for Him, having the misconception that, “He is not carrying himself like a master.”

The fact is, you simply don’t understand it. You are clueless to the fact that every one of these 84,000 dharma doors can lead us to the ‘Buddha’s ocean’ (佛海).

Hence, the moment you show contempt for the Dharma or your master, you are bringing forth your own obstacles (自障成就) and you begin to establish your own hindrances (你自己的障碍就开始成立了).

Buddhism in Plain Terms Volume 7 Chapter 33 (An Excerpt)
ACCEPT MASTER’S CRITICISMS WITH GRATITUDE

As your master, I am sharing the Dharma teachings with you every day, just like a father, constantly pointing out your flaws. Therefore, you must be appreciative of my efforts and understand that I am truly helping you for your own good. Can you imagine what will become of you if you don’t correct your flaws?

Even the most minute flaw can be fatal. In other words, we should not tolerate any character flaw, however small, as it could snowball into a massive flaw.

Whenever I pick on any of your mistakes, you must accept it. Even though the mistake may seem insignificant to you, it may culminate into a big problem over an extended period of time, which can have a detrimental impact.

Moreover, when I am criticising you, I am teaching you how to endure humiliation (忍辱精进). No one in this society is willing to point out the shortcomings of others because we are well aware that no one is receptive to criticisms. 

wenda20150906B  52:18 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
IS IT MORE MERITORIOUS TO RELEASE CAPTIVE LIVES FOR MASTER LU OR ONESELF?

Caller: Hi Master, is it more meritorious to perform life liberation for ourselves or for Master?

Master Jun Hong Lu: When you do it for yourself, you eliminate your own karmic obstacles. Conversely, when you do it for Master, you generate merits for yourself. They are both the same. You must eliminate your karmic obstacles first and then you may, out of gratitude, liberate some captive lives on Master’s behalf. That goes well too.

Let me give you a simple example: If you treat your parents well, they will treat you even better; similarly if you perform life liberation for Master, you will surely be blessed and protected. 

Wenda20140314  36:23 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
PRACTISE FILIAL PIETY BY LOVING OUR MASTER AS WELL AS PARENTS

Caller: I adore you, Master. I feel my adoration for you has surpassed what I have for my parents. Is this a sign of my lack of filial piety?

Master Jun Hong Lu: What’s so unfilial about it? After all, I’m your teacher, providing all of you with guidance. You must love your parents too because they are the ones who raise you. So, is there a difference between the love for one’s teachers and parents?

There is no difference, right? When we were little, we loved our form teacher, and by doing so, does it mean that we didn’t love our parents? We still loved them the same, didn’t we?

As your Master, I’m teaching all of you the principles of life and the Buddhist teachings to help you avert life setbacks, troubles and vexations. On the other hand, your parents play the role of raising all of you. We have contributed to your life in different ways. Hence, you must love all, don’t you think?

Caller: I see. Yes. 

SUMMARY 

• It is the Field of Gratitude (恩田) – which will generate blessings for us when we practise greater filial piety by serving our parents and teachers.
• The basic qualification to pray to the Bodhisattva and a foundation in Buddhism practice.
• The culture of filial piety is an education which essentially means a good part of education is learning to be filial.
• It is sincerely helping and caring for the elderly, including our master, our own parents and all elderlies, which is a demonstration of extraordinary filial piety (大孝) and boundless compassion (无缘大慈). 

• There are many ways to exercise filial piety. However, reciting the Buddhist scripturesfor the elderly is a far better way to help relieve them from pain and suffering.
• To maintain a harmonious relationship with the elders, we must be compassionate and learn to tolerate and accept their shortcomings. 

• We must understand that everything in this world arises from a combination of causes and conditions
• The relationship we have with our parents in this lifetime is just a manifestation of a karmic affinity (conditions).
• Pass virtues instead of wealth to children
• Parents should set a good example by:
  – being noble and virtuous, 
  – accumulating benevolent blessings and virtues,
  – studying and practising Buddhism.