Catukkanipāta 63

Numbered Discourses 4.63

7. Fitting Deeds

Living with Divinity

1 “Mendicants, a family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with divinity. A family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with the first tutors. A family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with the elder gods. A family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with those worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods.

2 ‘Divinity’ is a term for your parents.

‘First tutors’ is a term for your parents.

‘Elder gods’ is a term for your parents.

‘Worthy of an offering dedicated to the gods’ is a term for your parents.

Why is that? Parents are very helpful to their children, they raise them, nurture them, and show them the world.

3 Parents are said to be ‘Divinity’

and ‘first tutors’.

They’re worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods

from their children,

for they love their offspring.

4 Therefore an astute person

would revere them and honor them

with food and drink,

clothes and bedding,

by anointing and bathing,

and by washing their feet.

5 Because they look after

their parents like this,

they’re praised in this life by the astute,

and they depart to rejoice in heaven.”