今天我們大家來研究這個問題：「就是人為什麼要孝順父母？應該孝順父母，還是不應該孝順父母？」這個問題，有兩種解釋。

Today, let’s investigate the question: should one be filial to one’s parents, and why? There are two sides to this question.

站在「出世間法」的立場來講，不應該孝順父母。我相信任何人聽過這句話，一定大吃一驚，因為從來沒有聽過這種話。你所知道的是人人應該孝順父母，沒有聽過人說不應該盡孝道這句話，所以你覺得驚奇。若按照真理來講，是這樣的說法。若是站在「世間法」的立場來講，當然應該孝順父母。世間法是木本水源，應該慎終追遠、孝順父母、恭敬師長，這是天經地義之事。

From the viewpoint of world-transcending Dharma, we shouldn’t be filial to our parents. I believe that anyone listening to this is shocked, because this idea is unheard of. You know that one should be filial to one’s parents; you have never heard of a view stating that one shouldn’t practice filiality. That’s why you are surprised. Yet, if we speak according to true principle, this view is correct. But from the worldly point of view, of course we should be filial to our parents. The worldly point of view says that just as a tree has its roots and a stream has its source, we also have our roots and we should pay attention to them. We should always carefully attend to the funeral rites of our parents and to the worship of our ancestors. We should be filial towards our parents, and respectful towards our teachers and elders. All this is a matter of course.

若按出世法來講，我們努力修行，用功學習，發大菩提心，就是盡大孝，而不是小孝。此話怎麼解釋？因為修行有所成就，可以超度七世父母升天，所謂：「一子成道，九祖升天。」這就是大孝。

However, according to world-transcending Dharma, if we cultivate diligently, work hard at learning, and bring forth a great Bodhi mind, this is great filiality, not small filiality. How is that? When you have accomplishment in cultivation, you can rescue your parents from your past seven lives and help them to be reborn in the heavens. It is said,

When one child becomes a Buddha,
Ancestors of the past nine lives
Ascend to the heavens.

This is great filiality.

孝有四種：一為大孝，二為小孝，三為遠孝，四為近孝。什麼是大孝？就是報生生世世的父母恩、師長恩。什麼是小孝？就是孝順現世的父母，膝下承歡，令父母高興。養父母的身、慰父母的心，也就是要恭敬父母、供養父母。什麼是遠孝？就是孝敬古聖先賢，效法他們的一言一行，作為借鏡；一舉一動，作為圭臬。什麼是近孝？就是除了孝順自己父母之外，還要孝順他人的父母，所謂「老吾老，以及人之老」，要有這種的思想和行為。

This is great filiality. There are four types of filiality: great, small, distant, and close. Great filiality means repaying the kindness of one’s parents, teachers, and elders from all lives. Small filiality is filiality towards one’s parents of this present life, making them happy, providing food and shelter for them, and giving them peace of mind. It means respecting one’s parents and providing for them. Distant filiality refers to respecting and being filial to the ancient sages and worthy ones, taking them as models and emulating their words and conduct . Close filiality is, in addition to being filial to one’s own parents, also being filial to other people’s parents. It is to “take care of your own elders and extend the same care to others.” This is how we should think and behave.

真正出世法，超過孝道，所以我方才說：「不應該執著孝。」若是執著孝順父母，那就沾上情情愛愛的思想，就有妄念，終日念父思母，焉能修道？所以按真理來講，不應該盡孝道。

我講這個道理，有人會懂，有人會不懂，所以大家要深一層研究這個問題。

True world-transcending Dharma surpasses filiality. That’s why I say, “Don’t get attached to filiality.” If you’re attached to filiality, you are still caught up in love and emotion. You’re always thinking of your parents. How can you cultivate this way? Therefore, according to true principle one should not be filial to one’s parents. Some of you may understand the principle I’m talking about, and others may not. So we need to investigate further.

現在的人心，一天比一天壞，品行一天比一天惡劣，所謂「人心不古」。為什麼？因為世間人，本應該孝順父母，可是他不孝順父母。認為孝順父母是落伍的思想，又認為父母養育兒女，是他應盡的責任而已。那麼，他不盡孝道，是不是修行呢？也不是的。他真能修行，不需要養父母，也算是孝順父母，這是盡大孝，將來超度父母生天。他既不孝順父母，也不修行，專造種種的惡業，將來一定墮落三惡道，毫無疑問。

At present, people’s minds are getting worse day by day, and their behavior is getting daily more wicked. It is said, “People’s minds are no longer like the the minds of the ancients.” People ought to be filial to their parents but they aren’t. They think filiality is an outdated idea, and they think raising children is the parents’ obligation. So then, if a person doesn’t practice filiality, does that mean they are cultivating? Of course not. If a person could truly cultivate, even if he didn’t provide for his parents, he would still be considered filial. This is great filial piety, helping one’s parents be reborn in the heavens. If a person neither practices filiality nor cultivates, but only creates all kinds of evil karma, then he will definitely fall into the three evil paths. There is no question about it.

你們看！現在的青年男女，學下流的行為，不是殺人放火，就是姦婬劫盜，無惡不為。覺得應該這樣放蕩不羈，以為自由。他認為人不應該孝順父母，就應該學壞，這種思想，大錯特錯。雖然不能一概而論，但是大致差不多是犯了這種通病。

You can see present-day young men and women learning despicable behavior. If it’s not killing and arson, then it’s robbery and promiscuity. They do every evil thing there is to do, and they call their lack of restraint, “freedom.” They think that not being filial to one’s parents means one should learn to be bad. This kind of thinking is absolutely wrong. Even though we cannot generalize, many people have this fault.

修行人，雖然不孝順父母，可是能拯救父母離苦海，生於天界。但有些人，既不孝順父母，又不修行，終日做些不道德的事，有害於家庭，擾亂社會、國家，不得安寧。這是賠本的生意，越賠越沒有底，前途不堪設想。這樣胡作非為，乃是不可寬恕的罪人。

A cultivator, although he can’t be filial to his parents, can save his parents from the sea of suffering and help them to ascend to the heavens. However, some people neither practice filiality nor do they cultivate. They only commit immoral acts, which ruin families and disrupt society, causing there to be no peace in the nation. Such behavior is a losing business: the more you lose, the less capital you have left, and your future is doomed. People who act this stupidly are inexcusable offenders.

在前邊所說的修行人，能把父母放下，專心一致修行，這是對的。既然不修行，也不盡孝道，這是不對的。這一點要弄清楚，所謂：

萬惡婬為首，百善孝為先。

On the other hand, if one is like the cultivator mentioned above and can let go of one’s parents and immerse oneself in cultivation, then one is on the right track. But if one neither cultivates nor is filial to one’s parents, one is on the wrong path. You should be clear about this. It is said,

Lust is the worst of all evils.
Filiality is the foremost of all virtues.

一九八三年七月二十九日
觀音七開示於萬佛聖城