Do the things i do in this life affect my family in my past lives?

[Strive4Karuna]

The greatest thing we can do for our family and those who have helped in this life is attain arahantship. They will get incredible merit, thinking about the shelter, meals and all the luxuries they have provided.

However, i want to know whether the things i do in this lifetime will affect my parents, family, all the people who have done good for me in the past.

[Polar Bear]

I think your parents in this life only get the merit of giving to an arahant if they give to you after you've become an arahant. According to my understanding (which could be mistaken) of the suttas on kamma, I don't think there are any retroactive kammic updates possible. You can sort of lessen or increase the effects of past kamma, but only by increasing/decreasing your current wholesome/unwholesome mind states. Is there a sutta you know of that suggests that parents gain merit inevitably or purely from the fact the child they raised became an arahant?

[Strive4Karuna]

I think your parents in this life only get the merit of giving to an arahant if they give to you after you've become an arahant. According to my understanding (which could be mistaken) of the suttas on kamma, I don't think there are any retroactive kammic updates possible. You can sort of lessen or increase the effects of past kamma, but only by increasing/decreasing your current wholesome/unwholesome mind states. Is there a sutta you know of that suggests that parents gain merit inevitably or purely from the fact the child they raised became an arahant?

Polarbear, i apologize cannot recall where i read this and i may be mistaken, however if my memory serves me right the showing of gratitude to ones parents was not reserved only to those who have attained nibbana, rather it suggested that there was no greater use of ones time then one who had become an arahant.

[bodom]

There are two people in this world you can never can never really repay and that is your parents. The best you can do for them is to arouse and establish in them conviction, virtue, generosity and discernment.

"I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? Your mother & father. Even if you were to carry your mother on one shoulder & your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, & rubbing their limbs, and they were to defecate & urinate right there [on your shoulders], you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. If you were to establish your mother & father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. Why is that? Mother & father do much for their children. They care for them, they nourish them, they introduce them to this world. But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother & father, settles & establishes them in conviction; rouses his unvirtuous mother & father, settles & establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother & father, settles & establishes them in generosity; rouses his foolish mother & father, settles & establishes them in discernment: To this extent one pays & repays one's mother & father."

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html

[LG2V]

If you become proficient in meditation, you'll be able to help your loved ones in a multitude of unexpected ways.

[Strive4Karuna]

There are two people in this world you can never can never really repay and that is your parents. The best you can do for them is to arouse and establish in them conviction, virtue, generosity and discernment.

"I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? Your mother & father. Even if you were to carry your mother on one shoulder & your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, & rubbing their limbs, and they were to defecate & urinate right there [on your shoulders], you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. If you were to establish your mother & father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. Why is that? Mother & father do much for their children. They care for them, they nourish them, they introduce them to this world. But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother & father, settles & establishes them in conviction; rouses his unvirtuous mother & father, settles & establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother & father, settles & establishes them in generosity; rouses his foolish mother & father, settles & establishes them in discernment: To this extent one pays & repays one's mother & father."

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html

bodom, thank you for the reply.

[Strive4Karuna]

If you become proficient in meditation, you'll be able to help your loved ones in a multitude of unexpected ways.

LG2V, your post aroused a feeling in me to become better so I can be a better help to my parents. Regards.