天如老人二十二答问：
[The] Elder Tiānrú’s Twenty-Two Answers [For] Questions:
[如何以净土法门报一切父母恩？]
[18] [How To Repay All Fathers (And) Mothers’ Kindness With (The) Pure Land Dharma Door?]
问：父母之恩，最难图报，若能往生西方，未识有法可以报恩否？
Question: [The] kindness of fathers [and] mothers, [is] most difficult [to] strive for repayment. If able [to be] reborn [in the] Western [Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss] [极乐世界], yet [to] know [if there] are methods [that] can repay [their] kindness [or] not?
且人生一世，即有一父母，若百千万亿世，即有百千万亿父母。未知往生之后，能各记忆姓名，各知其所在，可以一一报之乎？
Moreover, [in] human life’s one lifetime, [we] then have one father [and] mother. If [in a] hundred trillion lifetimes, then have [a] hundred trillion fathers [and] mothers. Yet [to] know [if] reborn after, [we will be] able [to] each remember [their] surnames [and] names, each know their those places [they are] at, [and if there] can [be with] each [and every] one [of] those repaid?
答：「欲报之德，昊天罔极」，此世俗之言也。以世俗之道报亲，诚无可报之法。
Answer: ‘[The] virtues that [are] desired [to be] repaid, [are like the] boundless sky inexhaustible [to the] utmost.’ These [are] words of [the] worldly [and] secular. With paths of [the] worldly [and] secular repaying kindness, [they] truly [are] without methods that can [be for] repayment.
若往生之后，欲报其亲，则易易矣。岂惟报一世之亲，即欲报百千万亿世以前之父母，亦有报之之法。
If reborn [in the Pure Land] after, desiring [to] repay those parents, [this is] then very easy. How can [there] only [be] repaying [of the] parents of one lifetime? Then desiring [to] repay fathers [and] mothers of [a] hundred trillion lives ago, [there] also are methods of repaying them.
盖人一至西方，必得神通天眼，能见无数世界之事。必得神通天耳，能听无数世界之声。必具他心通智，能知一切众生之心。必得宿命通智，能知无量劫前死此生彼之事。
Because people [who] once arrive [in the] Western [Pure Land, will] definitely attain [the] supernormal power [of the] heavenly eye, [they will be] able [to] see [the] matters of innumerable worlds. Definitely attaining [the] supernormal power [of the] heavenly ear, [they will be] able [to] hear [the] sounds of innumerable worlds. Definitely possessing [the] supernormal power [of] others’ minds’ knowledge, [they will be] able [to] know [the] minds of all sentient beings. Definitely attaining [the] supernormal power [of] past lives’ knowledge, [they will be] able [to] know [the] matters of dying here [and being] born there immeasurable kalpas ago.
所谓某人在某处，如是名，如是姓，如是种族，如是居里，纤悉皆知。
[Of a] so-called certain person at [a] certain place, [with] such [a] name, [and] such [a] surname, [of] such [a] race, [and at] such [a] village, fine details [can] all [be] known.
可以惟我所为，尽其报效。岂有父母之恩，不能酬答者乎？
[There] can only [be with] our those actions, [to] complete that rendering of services to repay. How can there be that kindness of fathers [and] mothers, that [is] not able [to be] thanked [and] repaid?
昔孟子称舜之孝，曰：「为天子父，尊之至也；以天下养，养之至也。」
[In the] past, Mèngzǐ [i.e. Mencius] praised [the] filiality of [Emperor] Shùn, saying, ‘Serve [the] heavens’ son [i.e. emperor] [like one’s] father, [with] honour that [is] utmost, with [the] heavens‘ below nurturing, [with] nurturing that [is] utmost.’
使吾往生为菩萨，俾父母为菩萨之父母，不更尊于人类乎？
If we [are] reborn [to] be Bodhisattvas, so that [our] fathers [and] mothers [will] be fathers [and] mothers of Bodhisattvas, [is this] not even more honourable, compared to [being] humans?
且使父母得生净土，念衣衣来，想食食至，受自然之福，享无极之寿，不更愈于「以天下养」乎？
Moreover, [if] causing fathers [and] mothers [to] attain birth [in the] Pure Land, [to be with] thoughts [about] clothing, [with] clothing coming, thinking [about] food, [with] food arriving, receiving those natural blessings, [and] enjoying those limitless lifespans, [does this] not even more exceed [that] of ‘with [the] heavens’ below nurturing’?
况一国土中，不过一天子。若有第二位孝子出来，也要想「以天下养」，则必谋为不轨，反做乱臣贼子矣。
Moreover, within one country’s land, [there is] not more [than] one heavens’ son. If [there] is [a] second filial child arising, also wanting, thinking [of] ‘with [the] heavens‘ below nurturing’, then definitely [will there be] planning for [that] not lawful, instead becoming [an] usurping official [and] thief.
岂若净土法门之尽人可以展其孝，仍无碍于世法乎？
How [is this] like [the] Pure Land Dharma Door’s that utmost humanly possible extension [of] its filiality, [which is] still without obstruction of worldly laws?
源自：《安士全书》：
From: Ānshì’s Complete Book:
西归直指：
Western Pure Land’s Return’s Direct Pointers:
卷二：疑问指南
Scroll Two: Doubts’ Guide
玉峰怀西居士周梦颜安士氏汇辑
By Yùfēng’s Layperson Huáixī, Zhōu Mèngyán And Ānshì’s Clan Collected And Compiled
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
相关教理
Related Teachings:
天如老人二十二答问
The Elder Tiānrú’s Twenty-Two Answers For Questions
https://purelanders.com/2025/11/05/the-elder-tianrus-twenty-two-answers-for-questions
