White Sun Filial Piety

Filial piety is the most important virtue among the eight virtues and it is the origin of all good deeds. Without filial piety, it is like a tree without its root or the water without the source.

It is not easy to describe what our parents have done for us over the years. The care and the love deeper than the deepest ocean and the height higher than the highest mountain. They care for us meticulously and their love for us is not hindered by hardship and danger. They have done so much without complaint and some even willing to die for their children. In return, the simple truth is to show gratitude by being filial to them and by doing so, we set a good example for our children and this in turn promotes greater harmony in the family.

As children we must remember and understand these three considerations:

1]Who gives me this body?
2]Who brings me up?
3]Who gives me education?

The greatest disappointment and upset for the parents are disobedient and not filial. The act of filial piety goes beyond providing material comforts. Filial piety is the most important fundamental virtue in all human beings. The ancient said: "There is no point worshipping God if we are not filial to our parents." Heaven said: "Those who are not filial will be punished and the punishment will also be extended to their children. What we do to our parents, our children will do the same to us."

Nowadays, unfortunately many people choose to act against morality and being callous to their parents. My own eyes have seen many and one can read in the papers how cruel sometimes people can be to their parents. Human beings, regarded as the most intelligent creatures on earth, should not fail to practise filial piety. The little ant to almost all animals, know how to do this part. For example, the lamb will kneel down when they are taking milk from the mother lamb, the crow will feed its parents when they are old. It is better to serve them a bean when they are alive than to serve them delicacies after they passed away.

Confucius said, "Money is valuable but our parents are priceless because money can be earned whereas parents cannot. Wife is adorable, but parents are more adorable. We can have another wife, but not another parent. Job can be attended to but our parents need more attention. We must protect our lives but we must give more protection to our parents' lives. Without their care and upbringing, we would not exist at all."

Ancient Sages said, "Nothing can replace our parents, be it gold or silver. If we do not respect them when they are alive, it is pointless to pay our respect to them after they have passed away."

Ancient Philosophers said, "If we wish to calculate the amount of kindness our parents have given to us, it is as difficult as guessing how high is the sky and how thick is the earth. We may be able to count the hairs on our head but we will not be able to count the kindness our parents have given us."

If we think back and ask; who has given us our physical body?; who brought us up?; when we were hungry, who fed us?; when we were cold, who gave us warmth?; When we cried, who cuddled us?; When we wetted the bed, who cleansed for us?; When we have measles or pox, who took care of us?; Who taught us about diet and languages?....etc. Think deeply, it is only our parents who will do all these to us. Nobody else. Our parents put their hearts and souls in raising us. For nine months of prenancy and three years of nurturing, our parents have to go through lots of hardships and worries.

They are worried when we are near to the water, fire or hot and sharp object. Before they eat, they will ensure that we are not hungry. They would not sleep in peace if our safety is not assured. Once we had any illness, they do not blame us for being so difficult to raise. But instead, they will blame themselves for not taking good care of us. They will seek good doctor and gather medicinal herbs, pray to God and consult fortune teller. They wished that they can suffer on our behalf. If we are somewhere away and far from home, they will worry for us and wait for our return. If we return late, they will be anxious, wondering if any mishaps could have happened. All these are the kindness of our parents when they bear, nurture, foster, educate and treat us. All these kindness should not be forgotten by anyone of us.

Confucius further said, "We must cherish our lives and every part of our body as they are given to us by our parents. This is the basis of being filial. If we establish ourselves in cultivation, we will be able to uphold our parents' reputation."

In the teachings of Tao of Heaven, the greatest filial piety is to save our parents back to Heaven, hence as devotees of Tao, we must get our parents to also receive Tao and be enlightened to the Truth and have salvation.

My Heavenly Master JiGong said, "Fulfill filiality at home with all your heart. Render loyalty to the country with all your might. No one who was unfilial and unloyal, could have his name marked on bamboo and silk (annals of history), and could have his name kept in fragrance for hundreds of generations."

Author: T.A Chew