【Description】
What images does the word “mother” conjure up? Lullabies being sung? Delicious food being cooked? Or gentle reminders to dress warmly?
Our mothers have never stopped caring for us, and we could never repay them for raising us. If you are thinking of your mother and would like to express your gratitude to her, then send her the most auspicious Divine blessings right now.
【You willearn】
- Truths about motherly love and reasons you should be grateful for your mother
- Ways to accumulate merits for your mother
- How to pray and chant for your mother
【Featured aphorism】
- Your parents’ well-being affects how you receive energy from your ancestors. As such, your parents need to always be in an auspicious state to ensure your family’s peace and prosperity.
- To understand filial piety, one must first learn about human relationships
【Content】
Nothing can replace parents’ love for their children. We will pray that Buddha and deities bless our great compassionate mothers with auspiciousness, health and longevity.
Gratitude for a Mother’s Love
Who brought us into the world? Our parents. Our parents gave us our body. Our mother is the important person who brought us into the world. After months of pregnancy, a woman delivers her baby; then, it will take her many years of effort to raise the baby. Yes, we owe our parents a lot. Our parents are the links between us and our ancestors. I have already mentioned: Only when our ancestors’ energy can be passed to us through our parents, intact and smooth, are we able to get support from our ancestors’ energy.
Then the family will be harmonious, and therefore, its descendants tend to be filial, educated and have higher social status. The family members get along well, regardless of their occupations. A harmonious family will always have riches and honor. On the other hand, our illnesses, emotional issues and misfortunes are all directly related to our ancestors and parents. That is why we need to express our gratitude to our mother.
Words fail to describe how much they love us. But many people take their mother’s love for granted. When I asked some people who hadn’t learned Buddhism whether their mom treated them well, most said, “Just normal.” But I knew their mothers really loved them. A 35-year-old woman told me that she hated her mom because her brother got more inheritance than her in her mom’s will. Some people hate their mom for some very small things.
You would only realize how much a mother loves her children after becoming a mother yourself. Animal research revealed that after giving birth, animals become more alert and develop more rage. That is a big change. If you see ducklings crossing the road led by a mother duck, stay away. If the mother thinks you are hostile, or too close to them, she will attack you to protect her children. To protect its children, a duck would dare to challenge a cow. That is the animal world. A hen would do the same.
So, a sweet lady could become a different person after giving birth; she could become tiger-like. To protect her baby, she will always be ready to show her teeth and claws. She would challenge anyone who dared to approach her baby. That is just women’s nature. When a young lady becomes a mother, her character could change a lot. Why? She will have a strong intention to protect her child. Elegance is not that important anymore. Her child’s safety is the only important thing. That is how great all mothers are. This is a mother’s nature. Only after becoming a mother can a woman realize how much a mother loves her child.
We all owe our parents. How they love us is the same as how we love our own children. For those who haven’t married, who don’t have children, let me tell you: If your mom has less love for you, you would be dead by now. Acting carelessly such as when feeding you milk, you could have been choked to death. As an infant, simply by grasping chopsticks you might have hurt your eyes, and even become blind. It was your mom who took care of you, and kept you safe while you were growing up. That is why you shouldn’t forget how much you owe your mother. We are not ignoring fathers, OK? But Mom pays more attention to details than Dad does. Without your mom’s care, you could have died right after you were born.
So, after today’s class, if your mom is not here, call her and express your love. Tell her, “Mom, I love you.” Your mom may ask, “What is wrong with you?” She may not be used to it, but she will be really happy. Just tell her, “I am alright. I do love you.” Tell her how much you appreciate her for raising you. She will be so happy to hear your words. She can tell you are mature now, which is more important to her than you giving her lots of money or buying her clothes and a house. She will be happy that all her effort hasn’t been wasted. If your mom is still alive, be filial and grateful to her; treat your mom well. Don’t wait until she is not around anymore; you will regret it. If your mom has passed away, you can still send her blessings.
I can tell you how to do this. Let’s learn the principles first. Let’s get to know human nature. Let’s find out what true love is. Nothing is more powerful than our parents’ love for us. Nothing can replace your parents’ love; no money or power can replace parents’ love for their child. Why? There’s no “why,” because there is no reason. Parents’ love is pure, guileless, and does not hope for anything in return. They gave you life, they raised you, they love you; that’s it. We should love and respect them. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Don’t wait until they are not around anymore. You will regret it. You don’t have to give them lots of money. Love them; understand them better. Spend time with them. They will feel happy.
No matter how old you get, you will always be your mother’s child. Your mom always sees you as a little kid, regardless of your age. In the past, you might have been naughty or rebellious; you might have hurt your mom’s feelings; Now just give her a hug. Tell your mom you love her. That will close the gap between you and your mom. Your mom will be really happy about that. She will surely receive your blessings if you are sincere enough. To express our gratitude to our mothers, we pray that Buddha and deities bless our great compassionate mothers with auspiciousness, health and longevity. Our parents are actually our buddhas and bodhisattvas.
They can be unfriendly and even mean toward others, but when they are with you, they are your buddhas and bodhisattvas. They love you without a reason; that’s your parents. For their love, we should express our gratitude. We have seen our mom eat leftovers, while saving the best food for us. What happened when you disliked your food and wouldn’t finish it? Your mom finished it, because she doesn’t waste food. I bet you have seen her doing this. She let you eat tasty meat, telling you she didn’t like meat; actually, your family couldn’t afford much of it. Seeing you enjoying the meat, she felt happy and satisfied. You wouldn’t find such selflessness elsewhere.
Thus we are going to send them the sincerest Divine blessings. Our mothers deserve blessings for being so compassionate to us. Let’s chant for them. For mothers who have passed away, we will ask the Buddha and
bodhisattvas to direct them to the Paradise realm of happiness and auspiciousness. Kneel if you want to show your sincerity. We will ask Buddha and deities to bless our mothers with auspiciousness, health and longevity.
For moms who have passed away, may they suffer no more and rest in peace forever in the Eastern Paradise. For mothers who have sinned, let’s pray for the Buddha and bodhisattvas to clear their karma. Show your sincerity through your leg pain to banish their karma. Let mothers rest in Paradise forever. That is what all grateful children should do. Do more good deeds for them. Offer lights for them. Build more Buddha statues on behalf of them.