A Prayer for the Birthdays of Our Parents

Oh great compassionate Buddha!

Today we are happy to be present

On this happy occasion of our parent’s birthday,

Please accept your disciples’ prayers for our parents.

Oh great, compassionate Buddha!

Our parents have grown old;

For the past few decades

They have been giving to the family and their children,

Yet never ask for anything in return.

Today we would like to offer our filial piety to our parents.

Oh Buddha, by relying on your blessing your witness, and your vow,

We offer our lives and everything we own to our parents;

May they have a long, healthy life,

May they be joyous and at ease.

Oh great, compassionate Buddha!

We wish to say this to our parents in your presence

Oh most esteemed and beloved parents,

It is your blood and milk that gave us our physical bodies;

It is your love that nourishes our growth;

It is your great care that gave us what we have;

It is your encouragement that accompanies us through all our lives.

Oh our most esteemed and beloved parents!

Please forgive our ignorance and willfulness in the past

That brought you heartache and pain;

Please forgive our unreasonableness and rebelliousness in the past,

That brought you concern and disappointment.

Oh esteemed and beloved parents,

Thank you for your love and patience,

That have allowed us to now understand

Gratefulness and repayment;

Thank you for your protection and forgiveness,

That have allowed us to now understand

Compassion and gentleness;

Thank you for your tolerance and guidance,

That have allowed us to now understand

Reason and duty;

Thank you for your respect and consideration,

That have allowed us to now understand

Completeness and equality.

Oh great, compassionate Buddha!

How immense is our parents’ benevolence to us!

We would like to pray to you, Buddha,

To protect our parents with your blessings:

May they be free from the fears of aging and sickness;

May they be free from the sufferings of disasters;

May they be free from the worries of human affairs;

May they be free from the snares of enemies.

Oh great, compassionate Buddha!

With your kind protection and support,

Please let us have the strength to contribute to the human world;

Please let us have the sincerity to serve all people.

We only wish to use this humble enthusiasm

To transfer the merit to our parents.

May they be able to uphold the Triple Gem

And be close to good company;

May they be able to study Buddhism thoroughly

And be loved and supported by all people;

May they be able to eliminate karmic hindrances

And be peaceful and joyous in mind and body;

May they be able to increase merit and wisdom

And be blessed with auspiciousness and good health.

Oh Buddha!

Please allow us to wish our parents happiness;

With the protection and support of your Buddha light,

May they have boundless longevity and blessings.

Oh great, compassionate Buddha,

Please accept our sincerest prayer!

Oh great, compassionate Buddha,

Please accept our sincerest prayer!

(Excerpted from “A Prayer for the Birthdays of Our Parents 為父母壽辰祈願文)” from Pearls of Wisdom: Prayers for Engaged Living by Ven. Master Hsing Yun)