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THE WAY OF LIFE
A BLUEPRINT FOR THE WORSHIP OF PARENTS
Even when children realise their duties towards their parents, they do not feel convinced of their value intellectually because they have been brought up in such contrary circumstances. I feel that parents have lost their greatness and venerability.
Yet, those children who have attained noble culture and who want to worship their parents must follow the following duties :
(1) Along with innate love for their parents, they should show devotion to them by washing their feet every day. (2) They should provide food and clothes to them; should spread their beds and help them to take their bath at the times proper for those things.
(3) They should serve their parents, themselves and should not engage servants for that purpose.
(4) Children should receive humbly the advice and commands of their parents.
(5) Children should carry out their activities only after consulting their parents and taking opinion.
(6) If children happen to commit some mistakes and if parents rebuke them, they should not give impolite replies.
(7) Children should fulfil all the spiritual aspirations of their parents such as the worship of the Lord, going on pilgrimages; attending discourses and donating money to the seven institutions of the Jain society.
Children should join and assist their parents in worshipping the Arhat dharma. Apart from this, there is no other way by which children can pay their debt of gratitude to their parents in return for their benefactions which cannot be easily returned. Therefore, you must, with due honour and regard, assist your old parents in carrying out their spiritual austerities.
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