Dharma Master Cheng Yen frequently makes filial piety a central theme of her teachings, such as in the stories in this book. While filial piety has been a valued virtue in Chinese culture, it is being forgotten in modern society. Seeing children who cause their parents to worry by living recklessly and adults who send their aged parents off to nursing homes and then ignore them, Master Cheng Yen emphasizes filial piety as a key virtue that needs to be valued again today, just as it was in the past.
While this concept of filial piety seems foreign from a Western perspective, it can be understood as an extension of “Honor your father and mother.” To be filial, we need to start by recognizing and being grateful for the hardship and dedication that our parents have experienced in bringing us into the world and raising us into adulthood. This includes the great pain of childbirth and all the sacrifices that parents make to raise their children. If we always keep their tremendous sacrifice and dedication in mind, we will remain grateful and honor our parents.
Details
Language: English
Author: Shih Cheng Yen
Translation: Tzu Chi USA Translation Team
Publisher: Jing Si Publications
Pages: 208
Paperback
Release date: October, 2013
List Price: NT$360
