- Filial Piety and Qing Ming

In the six realms of rebirth, the human rebirth is the most precious and difficult to attain. It is due to our wholesome karma in past lives that we are able to have this perfect human body to learn the Dhamma in this life.

However, we also derive our physical bodies from our parents, so we should be grateful to our parents and repay their deep kindness in undergoing so much hardship and giving tender loving care to bring us up.

We should be particularly grateful to our mother for having undergone great suffering during the pregnancy and childbirth.

Those disciples of the Buddha who cultivate filial conduct should in thought after thought constantly recall their present fathers and mothers when making offerings, as well as their parents of seven lives past.

Every year on the 15th day of the seventh (lunar) month, out of filial compassion they should always recall their parents who bore them, including those of seven lives past, and for their sakes perform the offerings of the Ullumbana Basin to the Buddha and the Sangha, and thus repay the loving kindness of the parents who raised and nourished them.

Qing Ming

For Chinese, Qing Ming is a day to remember and honour one’s ancestors. Young and old pray before their ancestral shrines, sweep tombs and offer food, tea, and libation to the ancestors. The rites are important to most Chinese as Chinese perceive filial piety as an important virtue.

In Buddhist traditions, one should always be grateful to our ancestors for what they have done for us. A Buddhist should treat all beings as parents from many life times. As such, practice merits should be dedicated to all sentient beings in the hope that they will be alleviated from suffering.