The Buddha teaches on living with divinity, presenting a fourfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 4.63 Living with Divinity

“Sabrahmakāni, bhikkhave, tāni kulāni yesaṁ puttānaṁ mātāpitaro ajjhāgāre pūjitā honti. Sapubbācariyakāni, bhikkhave, tāni kulāni, yesaṁ puttānaṁ mātāpitaro ajjhāgāre pūjitā honti. Sapubbadevatāni, bhikkhave, tāni kulāni yesaṁ puttānaṁ mātāpitaro ajjhāgāre pūjitā honti. Sāhuneyyakāni, bhikkhave, tāni kulāni yesaṁ puttānaṁ mātāpitaro ajjhāgāre pūjitā honti.

Brahmāti, bhikkhave, mātāpitūnaṁ etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

Pubbācariyāti, bhikkhave, mātāpitūnaṁ etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

Pubbadevatāti, bhikkhave, mātāpitūnaṁ etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

Āhuneyyāti, bhikkhave, mātāpitūnaṁ etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

Taṁ kissa hetu? Bahukārā, bhikkhave, mātāpitaro, puttānaṁ āpādakā posakā imassa lokassa dassetāroti.

Brahmāti mātāpitaro,
pubbācariyāti vuccare;
Āhuneyyā ca puttānaṁ,
pajāya anukampakā.

Tasmā hi ne namasseyya,
sakkareyya ca paṇḍito;
Annena atha pānena,
vatthena sayanena ca;
Ucchādanena nhāpanena,
pādānaṁ dhovanena ca.

Tāya naṁ pāricariyāya,
mātāpitūsu paṇḍitā;
Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,
pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Sabrahmakāni, bhikkhave, tāni kulāni yesaṁ puttānaṁ mātāpitaro ajjhāgāre pūjitā honti.

“Mendicants, a family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with divinity.

Sapubbācariyakāni, bhikkhave, tāni kulāni, yesaṁ puttānaṁ mātāpitaro ajjhāgāre pūjitā honti.

A family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with the first tutors.

Sapubbadevatāni, bhikkhave, tāni kulāni yesaṁ puttānaṁ mātāpitaro ajjhāgāre pūjitā honti.

A family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with the elder gods.

Sāhuneyyakāni, bhikkhave, tāni kulāni yesaṁ puttānaṁ mātāpitaro ajjhāgāre pūjitā honti.

A family where the children honor their parents in their home is said to live with those worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods.

Brahmāti, bhikkhave, mātāpitūnaṁ etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘Divinity’ is a term for your parents.

Pubbācariyāti, bhikkhave, mātāpitūnaṁ etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘First tutors’ is a term for your parents.

Pubbadevatāti, bhikkhave, mātāpitūnaṁ etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘Elder gods’ is a term for your parents.

Āhuneyyāti, bhikkhave, mātāpitūnaṁ etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

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

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Bahukārā, bhikkhave, mātāpitaro, puttānaṁ āpādakā posakā imassa lokassa dassetāroti.

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

Brahmāti mātāpitaro,

Parents are said to be ‘Divinity’

pubbācariyāti vuccare;

and ‘first tutors’.

Āhuneyyā ca puttānaṁ,

They’re worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods from their children,

pajāya anukampakā.

for they love their offspring.

Tasmā hi ne namasseyya,

Therefore an astute person

sakkareyya ca paṇḍito;

would revere them and honor them

Annena atha pānena,

with food and drink,

vatthena sayanena ca;

clothes and bedding,

Ucchādanena nhāpanena,

by anointing and bathing,

pādānaṁ dhovanena ca.

and by washing their feet.

Tāya naṁ pāricariyāya,

Because they look after

mātāpitūsu paṇḍitā;

their parents like this,

Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,

they’re praised in this life by the astute,

pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

and they depart to rejoice in heaven.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Qualities:

Affection

Affection

A mental quality of tender affection and fond regard, often wholesome when rooted in kindness, which inclines the mind toward warmth and care. When unguarded, it may turn toward fixation upon what is 'dear,' leading the mind to attachment and the grief that follows separation from what has been clung to as 'dear'.

Also known as: fondness, love, tender regard
Pāli: pema
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026