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  1. Buddha's Teaching on Filial Piety Sutra (佛說孝子經)
  1. Buddha's Teaching on Filial Piety Sutra (佛說孝子經)
  2. Buddha's Teaching on Filial Piety Sutra (佛說孝子經)

Buddha's Teaching on Filial Piety Sutra (佛說孝子經)

About 佛說孝子經

771 · about 3 min

The Sutra on Filial Piety Spoken by the Buddha is a scripture that expounds the Buddhist teachings on filial piety. It is traditionally attributed to the translation by Dharmarakṣa of the Western Jin dynasty. Emerging during the early stages of Buddhism's adaptation in China, this sutra aimed to address doubts in Chinese society about whether monastic life contradicted filial duties. Through dialogues between the Buddha and his disciples, the text explains that true filial piety lies not merely in providing material support to parents, but more importantly in guiding them to take refuge in the Three Jewels, practice goodness, abandon evil, and ultimately attain liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Elevating worldly filial piety to a transcendent level, the sutra emphasizes that repaying kindness through spiritual practice is the greatest form of filial devotion. It profoundly integrates Confucian ethics with Buddhist doctrine, holding a significant place in the Chinese Buddhist view of filial piety and serving as a key text for studying the sinicization of Buddhism.


佛說孝子經
失譯人名今附西晉錄
佛問諸沙門:「親之生子,懷之十月,身為重病;臨生之日,母危父怖,其情難言。既生之後,推燥臥濕,精誠之至,血化為乳,摩拭澡浴,衣食教詔,禮賂師友,奉貢君長;子顏和悅,親亦欣豫,子設慘慼,親心焦枯;出門愛念,入則存之,心懷惕惕,懼其不善。親恩若此,何以報之?」
諸沙門對曰:「唯當盡禮慈心供養,以賽親恩。」
世尊又曰:「子之養親,甘露百味以恣其口,天樂眾音以娛其耳,名衣上服光耀其身,兩肩荷負周流四海,訖子年命以賽養恩,可謂孝乎?」
諸沙門曰:「惟孝之大莫尚乎茲?」
世尊告曰:「未為孝矣!若親頑闇不奉三尊,兇虐殘戾,濫竊非理,婬妷外色,偽辭非道,酖愐荒亂,違背正真,兇㜸若斯,子當極諫以啟悟之。若猶瞢瞢未悟,即為義化,當牽譬引類,示王者之牢獄、諸囚之刑戮曰:『斯為不軌,身被眾毒,自招殞命。命終神去,繫于太山,湯火萬毒,獨呼無救。由彼履惡,遭斯重殃矣。』設復未移,吟泣啼嗷,絕不飲食,親雖不明,必以恩愛之痛,懼子死矣。猶當強忍伏心崇道,若親遷志奉佛五戒,仁惻不殺,清讓不盜,貞潔不婬,守信不欺,孝順不醉者,宗門之內,即親慈子孝,夫正婦貞,九族和睦,僕使順從,潤澤遠被,含血受恩,十方諸佛、天龍鬼神、有道之君、忠平之臣,黎庶萬姓無不敬愛,祐而安之。數有顛倒之政,佞嬖之輔,兇兒妖婦,千邪萬怪,無如已何。於是二親處世常安,壽終魂靈往生天上,諸佛共會得聞法言,獲道度世長與苦別。」
佛告諸沙門:「覩世無孝,唯斯為孝耳。能令親去惡為善,奉持五戒,執三自歸,朝奉而暮終者,恩重於親乳哺之養、無量之惠。若不能以三尊之至化其親者,雖為孝養猶為不孝。無以𭒯妻遠賢不親,女情多欲,好色無倦,違孝殺親,國政荒亂,萬民流亡;本志惠施,禮式自撿,軟心崇仁,烝烝進德,潛意寂寞,學志叡達,名動諸天,明齊賢者,自穢妻聚,惑志女色,荒迷于欲,妖蠱姿態其變萬端。薄智之夫、淺見之士,覩其如此,不覺微漸,遂迴志沒身,從彼魃魅邪巧之亂,或危親殺君,悋色情蕩,忿嫉怠慢,散心盲冥,等行鳥獸,自古世來,無不由之殺身滅宗。是以沙門獨而不雙,清潔其志以道是務。奉斯明戒,為君即保四海,為臣即忠,以仁養民,即父法明子孝慈,夫信婦貞。優婆塞、優婆夷執行如是,世世逢佛見法得道。」
佛說如是,弟子歡喜。
佛說孝子經

CBETA Code: T0687

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