Saturday, August 29, 2009

Five Names of Parents

Gotama Buddha gave five names to parents such as:-
(1) Brahma, (2) Pubbadevata, (3) Pubbacariya, (4) Ahuneyya, (5) Puratthimadisa.

Loving kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity are the sublime qualities of Brahma. Similarly everybody can know and find the same qualities within parents. So the Buddha said that parents were called Brahma.

And then even to the married son, the parents have not lessen the sublime states of mind. Like a deity, parents can also forgive the faults of their children and find means to help him. No matter how great he commits sin, parents always forgive. That is why, our Buddha named the parents as a Pubbadevata (deity).

The children grow in age with ignorance. Thus, they need ones who are their own first teachers. These first teachers will introduce them to the incredible world. Most children were taught how to act physically, verbally and mentally. This is called three kamma, viz: kaya kamma, vaci kamma and mano kamma. At the same time, the children can speak, sit, walk, eat and drink by the help of parents. So the Buddha pointed out the parents as the first teachers, Pubbacariya.

The teaching is not only to demarcate the good from the bad, but also love from hatred, polite from rude, and respect from disrespect. Therefore parents are worthy of offerings from children. The Buddha also nominated that parents are Arhuneyya in this aspects.

The parents make sure to provide their children with whatever helps the children might need. No matter how cost it was, parents search by any means and support them. As a result of this responsibility, the Buddha recognized parents as Puratthimadisa (east direction).

So, youngsters of today had better consider would-be parents with five names.

Posted by Nyan U

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Downstream: the Sublime States of Parents

Mother has to take care of what she does and doesn't during the period of pregnancy. Parents radiate loving kindness (metta) towards their foetus in the womb. Meanwhile parents look after the better living and eating for their unseen baby.

Parents are aware of everything day by day, month by month. It seems to be very tired, but they will be feeling happy. At that moment, parents wish that the embryo would be free from sickness and diseases, that the baby be born properly with full organs and has complete body parts.

The pregnant mother has to pay attention continuously to herself on living, sitting, eating and so on. On either side, the responsible father also tries his best for finding ways and means to earn money, that makes everything in their family. The parents' actions are in unison. These are efforts of parents prior to their baby's presence.

After that it's no need to say how hard the mother give birth to a child. On the other hand, the father is very anxious for a moment about his child's health. In most cases parents feel compassion (karuna) when they hear their little baby's crying. They always prevent the harms from the mosquito-biting or any reason.

The baby is growing gradually. He starts smiling, laughing, sitting, walking, running, playing etc. Before long, the baby can speak, sit and run. He plays happily alone with a toy, or even with other baby friends, or other elder ones. On this account, the parents feel empathetic joy (mudita).

The baby comes of age day by day. To get better way of living, parents educate their children at schools. Parents have to provide their children with the educational facilities. After having educated, the adolescent son gets married and stands on his legs. On this occasion, parents feel equanimity (upekkha) on their children.

Posted by Nyan U

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Incredible Strength of Parents

Many people are correlative in connection with each other. It is true. This is done in accordance with the Buddha's words: ''Monks, it's not easy to seek one who has not been formerly your relatives, such as mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, son etc.'' Hence no one can say that appreciation and gratitude were no concern of us. The Buddha also showed gratitude as in Pali ''katannuta'' in Mangala sutta.

Most people can be indebted to somebody. Especially there is a gratitude to the parents. The parents look after their children physically, verbally and mentally throughout the life. Care for their children is very great, grand and gorgeous. It is an incredible experience. One's early childhood did not comprehend how hard parents had been struggled. At the same time, the children were not grateful to their parents for taking care of them. They were enjoying their parent's attending to them a lot. However, parents do not presume that they are utterly fatigued.

The mother carries baby foetus in her womb for ten months. She also removes from baby his urine, excrement, spittle, snot etc. without disgust as if it were yellow sandalwood. And then she plays with her baby in her lap or carries him about at her hip. Simultaneously, his father has to take risks for the baby such as going battles, sailing and other difficulties to make a pile of wealth. In this way the two parents bring their baby up together.

The twos know how hard it is, but nevertheless will be brave enough. These are naturally formed incredible strength of parents.

Posted by Nyan U

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Believe It or Not

Friend: Are your son and daughter-in-law good to you?
Mother: I haven't seen them since their wedding day.
Friend: Where do they live?
Mother: Next door.
Friend: Oh! No.

Posted by Aye Sat

Saturday, August 1, 2009

The Five Infinite Venerables

Buddhists usually pay homage to the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha, Parents and Teachers. Precisely, these are the Five Infinite Venerables, worth to revere.
  1. Buddha: the Enlightened one who expounded the Four Noble Truths that lead to Nibbana.
  2. Dhamma: the Teachings of the Buddha by which all beings can distinguish between the bad and the good deeds, and can win Arahantship.
  3. Sangha: the community of those who are Ariyas. They may help the practising Buddhists to do the same.
    So the Buddhists regard these three as ' Triple Gem' or 'Tri-ratana'.
  4. Parents: they restrain their children from doing evil, give care and food, educate for livelihood, arrange marriage and handover their inheritance.
  5. Teachers: they thoroughly instruct, ensure comprehension, provide well-roundedness, provide referrals and ensure safety.

Literature shows that Buddha repaid His parents and teachers.

After enlightenment, Buddha visited His father King Suddhodana. The king attained various stages of fruition and finally won Arahantship after hearing Buddha's Dhamma.

On the Seventh Lent, Buddha went to Tavatimsa Devaloka, where His mother had been reborned. He preached the Abhidhamma Pitika there.

Buddha did not neglect His foster mother, Prajapati Guatami. His Samkhitta Sutta made her Arahant.

Emphasizing the funeral occasion of Prajapati Guatami, Radhika Abeysekera wrote: ''The Buddha walked behind the carriage that carried her body. In this way, by example, the Buddha showed us that we should respect and honour our mothers for the care and love they had given us when we were too young to take care of ourselves.''

Buddha also looked for His former teachers, Alara Kalama and Udaka Ramaputta. They taught Him the ecstatic meditation when He was Bodhisatta. Unfortunatelly, they were dead.

Indeed, paying homage is not enough. We ought to act reciprocally, that is, we must repay them.

Posted by Aye Sat