5th Issue (September, 2007)
Sigālovāda Sutta (DN): Six Reciprocal Good Relationships
By Madhyama
From parents to a child
Edifying him or her against committing evils
Providing education in Arts and Science
Developing a harmonious individual
Recommending a suitable marriage partner
From a child to parents
Exercising of filial piety and love
Respectful and obedient
Support and assistance rendered respectfully
Willing to work for them
Honour, tradition and repute
Preserved and continued
From a teacher to a pupil
Providing good education and training
Effective pedagogy
Diligent and skilful
Ensuring security and safety
Introducing friends and companions
From a pupil to a teacher
Be respectful
Be punctual
Enthusiastic and attentive
Well disciplined and obedient
Rendering service
From a husband to a wife
Respecting the partner
Courteous and faithful
Faith and trust
Empowering her in domestic chores
Presenting gifts at opportune times
Ornament, a good choice of gift
From a wife to a husband
Adept at household affairs
Hospital towards his friends
Faithful
Safeguarding the wealth earned
From a friend to an associate
And vice-versa
Two-way traffic
Generous and courteous
Helpful and sincere
Empathic
Friendly and warm
Protecting when careless
Safeguarding property
Providing refuge in danger
Not abandoning when in need
Respecting his family’s members
From an employer to an employee
Assigning work according to capacity
Reasonable wages and food
Concern for sickness and welfare
Vacations provided
Sharing wealth and avoiding exploitation
From an employee to an employer
Punctuality of arrival for work
Diligent and respectful
Not taking what is not given
Responsible and skilful
Praise the boss and protect his repute
From a guru to a disciple
Edifying and forming character
Encouraging meritorious actions
Imparting religious knowledge or wisdom
Expounding doctrines lucidly
Providing instructions on the path to heaven
And the path to liberation
From a disciple to a guru
Attending to the master
Rendering service gently
Making offerings
With sufficient requisites
Editor’s Note:
This poem is the concentrate or cream of the second major portion of the Sigālovāda-sutta of the Dīgha Nikāya. Its theme is focused on the Buddhist deontological ethics. It touches on discharge of the duties and obligations of six pairs of individuals to preserve harmonious reciprocal relationships. The six pairs of reciprocal relationships are between parents and child, between teacher and pupil, between husband and wife, between friend and associate, between employer and employee and between religious guru and disciples. This Sutta expounds how to construct social harmony through preserving harmonious inter-relationship by not neglecting one’s own duties and responsibilities that ought to be performed. The admonition of Gotama Buddha promulgated about 2,500 years ago in ancient India is still universally applied and pertinent in our modern society today. Truth is eternal.
