Abstract

This thesis has three objectives; 1) to study taking care of parents in Theravada Buddhism, 2) to study of taking care of parents in Confucianism, and 3) to comparatively study taking care of parents in Theravada Buddhism and Confucianism. From the study, it is found that:-

1. In Buddhism, child should minister to his parents because having been supported by them when they were young until growth up. The parents worked hard for their child. Child should take care of them in the proper times; he should practice to them in both the body and the mind by material and practical worship. He should support them as supported by them. The Buddha said the way of children supporting to parents in Siṅgālakasutta that:-

In five ways a child should minister to his parents as the eastern quarter;

a.          Having been supported by them, I will support them in my turn.

b.          I will do their work for them.

c.          I will keep up the honor and the tradition of my family.

d.          I will make myself worthy of my heritage.

e.          I will make offering, dedicating merit to them after their death.

2. In Confucianism has shown the way of gratitude that when parents have still alive, child should support them, when they were pass away, make burial following the tradition and have to respect them, not give them food fully as feed dog or pig only. In custom’s scripture has mentioned the way a child should support to his parents as follows:-

The way gratitude to his parents can be divided into two periods,

a) The way gratitude to parents when they are still alive, it can be shown many ways as follows:- 1) giving respect and be obedience, 2) taking care or ministering, 3) helping their work, and 4) keeping up their family.

b) The way gratitude to parents after their death as appearing in the Confucianism’s scripture has mentioned four ways:-  1) the mourning, 2) the burial following the tradition, 3) the sacrifice, and 4) the inheritance of their intention.

3. The comparison of taking care of parents in Theravada Buddhism and Confucianism is found that there is the same attitude of the way taking care of parents, which is two ways; 1) by the body, and 2) by the mind.

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