SA-2 88（八八）

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī. At that time, Udraka the son of a brahmin went to where the Buddha was, greeted the Buddha, and sat to one side. He said, "Gautama! I beg for wealth according to the Dharma to support my parents. And I provide them with happiness and proper care. Is this a great merit?" The Buddha said, "Such support truly brings great merit."

The Buddha said, "Udraka! It is not limited to you. All who beg for wealth according to the Dharma, and who support their parents with proper care, providing them with happiness and proper care, will attain immeasurable merit. Why is this? One should know that such a person has Brahma Heaven in their home. If one properly supports one's parents, one has one's teacher in their home. If one can properly support one's parents, providing them with happiness, all will revere their home from afar. If one can properly support one's parents, providing them with happiness and proper care, one should know that the great gods are in their home. If one can properly support one's parents, providing them with happiness and proper care, one should know that all the gods are in their home. Why is this? Because Brahma Heaven King was born in Brahma Heaven due to properly supporting his parents. If one wishes to support one's teacher, supporting one's parents is the same as supporting one's teacher. If one wishes to pay homage, one should first pay homage to one's parents. If one wishes to serve the fire, one should first support one's parents. If one wishes to serve the gods, one should first support one's parents, which is the same as supporting the gods."

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke a verse, saying:

Brahma Heaven and the fire god, the teacher and the gods, if one wishes to
make offerings to them, one should support one's parents. In this life, one will gain
a good reputation, and in the next life, one will be born in Brahma Heaven.