WHY DO BUDDHIST SUPPORT THEIR PARENTS?

[running]

Originally Posted by inavalan

We'll have to disagree on this. It's called "social security" because that's what it is: a safety net. Calling it a "reward" is incorrect, not politically incorrect. Being old, or disabled isn't worth the money you get from "social security".

doesn't matter how many millions one has they still get a check. but calling it whatever one wishes doesn't change whats on the check.

im actually enjoying getting older. but maybe when im 62 i wont. lol. i like to think things just get better as i age.

[running]

i actually have never spent time thinking of what word is good to describe it as. it was just what came to me in the moment.

[inavalan]

Originally Posted by running

... i like to think things just get better as i age.

That's about some wines, some cheeses

I looked it up on line, and there are a lot of stupid suggestions too.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

If that is true, then why does the Anguttara Nikaya, the 4th section of the Sutta Pitaka, mentions about taking care of your parents in the Kataññu Suttas: Gratitude. It reads:

"I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? Your mother & father. Even if you were to carry your mother on one shoulder & your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, & rubbing their limbs, and they were to defecate & urinate right there [on your shoulders], you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. If you were to establish your mother & father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. Why is that? Mother & father do much for their children. They care for them, they nourish them, they introduce them to this world. But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother & father, settles & establishes them in conviction; rouses his unvirtuous mother & father, settles & establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother & father, settles & establishes them in generosity; rouses his foolish mother & father, settles & establishes them in discernment: To this extent one pays & repays one's mother & father."

This can be found at https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipi....031.than.html

The Kataññu Suttas: Gratitude emphasized the importance of helping your parents financially, etc.

The beginning of the Kataññu Suttas: Gratitude reads:

""Monks, I will teach you the level of a person of no integrity and the level of a person of integrity. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."

"As you say, lord," the monks responded.

The Blessed One said, "Now what is the level of a person of no integrity? A person of no integrity is ungrateful & unthankful. This ingratitude, this lack of thankfulness, is advocated by rude people. It is entirely on the level of people of no integrity. A person of integrity is grateful & thankful. This gratitude, this thankfulness, is advocated by civil people. It is entirely on the level of people of integrity.""

[sky]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

If that is true, then why does the Anguttara Nikaya, the 4th section of the Sutta Pitaka, mentions about taking care of your parents in the Kataññu Suttas: Gratitude. It reads:

"I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? Your mother & father. Even if you were to carry your mother on one shoulder & your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, & rubbing their limbs, and they were to defecate & urinate right there [on your shoulders], you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. If you were to establish your mother & father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. Why is that? Mother & father do much for their children. They care for them, they nourish them, they introduce them to this world. But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother & father, settles & establishes them in conviction; rouses his unvirtuous mother & father, settles & establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother & father, settles & establishes them in generosity; rouses his foolish mother & father, settles & establishes them in discernment: To this extent one pays & repays one's mother & father."

This can be found at https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipi....031.than.html

Yes I know many Suttas/Sutras mention supporting one's Parent's but it doesn't stop there. When you treat all Sentient beings as one's Parents that is what Buddha's ' Filial Piety ' means. Buddha took it one step further, beyond your own Family.

People from all beliefs systems should respect and support their Parents it shouldn't / doesn't happen because they are Buddhists.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by sky123

Yes I know many Suttas/Sutras mention supporting one's Parent's but it doesn't stop there. When you treat all Sentient beings as one's Parents that is what Buddha's ' Filial Piety ' means. Buddha took it one step further, beyond your own Family.

People from all beliefs systems should respect and support their Parents it shouldn't / doesn't happen because they are Buddhists.

This thread was to contrast the East who generally do provide financial support, etc. to their families to that of the West who in many ways do not even like their parents. The question was "Why doesn't the Western Buddhists provide support, etc. to their parents?"

[sky]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

This thread was to contrast the East who generally do provide financial support, etc. to their families to that of the West who in many ways do not even like their parents. The question was "Why doesn't the Western Buddhists provide support, etc. to their parents?"

' The question was "Why doesn't the Western Buddhists provide support, etc. to their parents? '


They do and to all Sentient beings.

[BigJohn]

Do Buddhist support their parents?

In the East, people would look at me odd for asking such a question, but in the West, such a question is answered by such comments as "It is a Culture thing: not a Buddhist teaching", etc.

In the East, 'everybody' knows Buddhist work hard to support their parents but in the West, it is an effy thing.

Now, the teachings emphasized supporting parents first. Can we agree on that?

[Phaelyn]

One child now days is supposed to cost about $233,000 to raise to age 18. That's a lot of money parents spend to support and raise their children. Why do parents spend $233,000 per child? Love!

Most parents in the West don't expect to get any money back from those costs. In some cultures, children are expected to support their parents. Not so in the West as the parents are usually doing ok. Really, who ever is doing better financially, the parents or the children can be the helper money wise in families.

If the children are more poor than the parents, the parents help the children. If the parents are more poor than the children, the children help more. Really that's the differences between the East and West. In some counties, the children are needed to do the manual labor needed to support the family. In other countries, much of the work is not manual labor so the older family members of the family can basically work till they die. Some teachers work until they are well into their 80's.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

One child now days is supposed to cost about $233,000 to raise to age 18. That's a lot of money parents spend to support and raise their children. Why do parents spend $233,000 per child? Love!

Most parents in the West don't expect to get any money back from those costs. In some cultures, children are expected to support their parents. Not so in the West as the parents are usually doing ok. Really, who ever is doing better financially, the parents or the children can be the helper money wise in families.

If the children are more poor than the parents, the parents help the children. If the parents are more poor than the children, the children help more. Really that's the differences between the East and West. In some counties, the children are needed to do the manual labor needed to support the family. In other countries, much of the work is not manual labor so the older family members of the family can basically work till they die. Some teachers work until they are well into their 80's.

' In some cultures, children are expected to support their parents '

Eastern Buddhism mingled some Confucianism to appease the Rulers when it spread to China etc :

Filial Piety in Confucianism is different from Filial Piety in Buddhism. Confucianism is based more on ' Duty ' and doing something out of duty is very different from doing it out of Love...