The Filial Piety Sutra: 5 of 6

After listening to The Buddha’s speech on the parental kindness, all the assembly were filled with sorrow and fell kneeling on the ground.

Some began to strike themselves. Because of great sorrow, blood flowed out from the hair pores and they fainted …”

On awakening, they lamented, “It is really painful! The unfilial children have caused great suffering to their parents!”

“We are all offenders. We are criminals who have never awakened, like those who travel in the dark night.”

“We have led a dreamy life and never given a thought to our heavy offences …”

“Now, upon hearing The Buddha’s teaching, we are extremely sorrowful. Just like a man who has just wakened from sleep, we really regret our past wrong doings.”

“We only hope that The World Honored One will have pity on us and forgive our ignorance! Do teach us ways to repent and reform so as to repay the deep parental kindness!”

By using eight kinds of wonderfully pure Dharma sound, The Buddha answered, “As you wish to repay the parental kindness, I will now explain for you.”

“If there is a man who carries his father on his left shoulder and his mother on his right shoulder, to circumambulate the Mount Sumeru, and his skin is torn because of their weight, …”

“With wounds penetrating his bones and marrow, with blood flowing profusely to envelope his ankles, throughout hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas, and he never complains, yet he is still unable to repay the deep parental kindness.”

“If there is a man, who during the months of famine, cuts down his flesh and chops into pieces to feed his parents …”

“… So that they will not be hungry. With such filial practice he serves them for hundreds of thousands of kalpas, he will still be unable to repay the deep parental kindness!”

“If there is a man who for the sake of his parents, cuts out his heart, with blood pervasively wetting the floor. Besides, he is prepared to endure any pain …”

“For hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas, he is still unable to repay the deep parents kindness.”

“If there is a man who for the sake of his parents, is willing to endure the pain of the penetration of sharp knives into his body, throughout hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas, he is still unable to repay the deep parental kindness.”

“If there is a man who seeks health and longevity on behalf of his parents, offers his body to light up the lamp before The Buddha throughout hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas, he will still be unable to repay the deep parental kindness.”

“If there is a man who is willing to go over boiling water and burning fire, to extract marrow from his bones, throughout innumerable millions of kalpas, he is still unable to repay the deep parental kindness.”

“If there is a man who for the sake of his parents, swallows fire and molten iron pellets, until his body is burnt to ashes…”

“… Throughout hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas, he is still unable to repay the deep parental kindness.”

At that time, after listening to The Buddha’s speech on the virtuous kindness of parents, everyone cried sorrowfully. But they did not know how to repay their kindness.

They were very shameful and regretful. Together they sought The Buddha’s advice, “World Honored One! We are offenders! But we did not know how to repay our parental kindness.”

The Buddha saw that they were really remorseful, so he said happily, “If you wish to repay the virtuous kindness of your parents …”

The Buddha said, “You have to write down this sutra, recite the sutra, repent all offence and make offerings sincerely to The Triple Jewel,”

The Buddha continued, “Besides you have to receive and uphold pure eating and precepts, practice, and cultivate diligently all good Dharma, so as to pervasively plant all virtuous roots. If not, you are a being in the hell.”

The Buddha told Ananda, “If a person is not filial, when his life ends and his body decays, he will fall into the Spaceless, Avici hell.”

“The length and breadth of the hell are each equivalent to eight thousand yojanas. It is surrounded by iron walls and covered with iron netting so that the offenders cannot escape.”

“The fire burns fiercely, while thunder roars and bright bolts of lightning set things aflame. Molten brass and iron fluids are poured over the offenders’ bodies.”

“Brass dogs and iron snakes chase after and eat the offenders. They are burnt to ashes. There are uncountable hooks and sharp weapons in the air …”

“And the ground is covered with hammers, spears, the hills of knives, the trees of swords and other weapons …”

“The offender is chopped, hacked, or stabbed, and undergoes these cruel punishments for kalpas without respite.”

“Then they enter the remaining hells, where their heads are capped with fiery basins, while iron wheels roll over their bodies …”

“Traveling to and fro until their guts are ripped open and their bones and flesh are squashed to pulp. In a single day, they have to undergo thousands and millions times of deaths.”

“Such sufferings are experienced by the offenders who are unfilial and have committed the five rebellious acts during their lifetime.”

“After listening to The Buddha’s instructions, all were filled with sorrow, regret and remorse. They begged, “How do we repay the deep parental kindness!”