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← Aṅguttara Nikāya

With Divinity

AN 3.31 · Sabrahmakasutta

Water flowing gently around weathered stones and moss in a mountain stream.

“Mendicants, a family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with divinity. A family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with the first tutors. A family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with those worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods.

‘Divinity’ is a term for your parents.

‘First tutors’ is a term for your parents.

‘Worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods’ is a term for your parents.

Why is that? Parents are very helpful to their children, they raise them, nurture them, and show them the world.

Parents are said to be ‘divinity’ and ‘first tutors’, it’s said. They’re worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods from their children, for they love their offspring.

Therefore an astute person would revere them and honor them with food and drink, clothes and bedding, anointing and bathing, and by washing their feet.

Because they look after their parents like this, in this life they’re praised by the astute, and they depart to rejoice in heaven.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.