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Buddhism: Marriage and the Family

The Buddhist family and its purpose

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 1

Overview

The Sigalovada Sutta on duties between parents and children, the six directions and why the Buddha reinterpreted Sigala's worship, gratitude, few rules on family shape, and nuclear, extended, single-parent, same-sex and blended families.

What you need to know

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Key term

What does the Sigalovada Sutta say parents and children owe each other?

Key term

How did the Buddha reinterpret Sigala's worship of the six directions?

Key term

What is the purpose of the family in Buddhism?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is the purpose of the family in Buddhism?

    Model answer

    The family is a place where children learn kindness, generosity and the precepts. Family members support one another through every stage of life.

  2. 2

    What does the Sigalovada Sutta say parents should do for their children?

    Model answer

    Parents should keep children from evil, guide them towards good and train them in a skill. Parents should also help them marry well and hand on their inheritance.

  3. 3

    What does the Sigalovada Sutta say children owe their parents?

    Model answer

    Children should support their parents, carry out their duties and keep up the family tradition. Children should also make offerings in their parents' memory after death.

  4. 4

    What are the six directions in the Sigalovada Sutta?

    Model answer

    The Buddha taught Sigala to honour six directions as six relationships. The directions stand for parents, teachers, wife and children, friends, workers, and monks and priests.

  5. 5

    Why did the Buddha reinterpret Sigala's worship of the six directions?

    Model answer

    Sigala was bowing to the directions only as a ritual his father had asked for. The Buddha showed him that honouring the directions means keeping good relationships.

  6. 6

    Why is gratitude to parents important in Buddhism?

    Model answer

    The Buddha taught that children can never fully repay their parents' kindness. The best repayment is to help parents towards faith, virtue and wisdom.

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