Q: 自己父親有失智的問題(認知障礙症)，母親狀況也不好，父母狀況的很令我擔憂。
My father suffers from neurocognitive disorder (dementia). My mother also has bad health. I'm worried about them.
A:能存著孝養父母、思念父母的心是好事。要知道能夠孝養父母是自己的福報。特別是母親給我們這輩子的人身，要好好把握機會孝養他們。父母活的越久，我們能累積福報的機會也越多，這是好事。
It's good that you care and think so much about your parents. You should know that, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to take care of our parents. Our mothers gave birth to us in this life, and we should act with piety especially toward them. The longer our parents live, the more chances we have to accumulate merits, and that's good.
除了身體上照顧父母，也要常憶念觀音，常做祈禱。只要常常憶起觀音。就可以透過觀音來加持父母。即使身體相隔兩地，他們也會得到利益。
Besides caring of them physically, we should think of Avalokiteshvara and pray to Avalokiteshvara all the time. With our mind thinking of Avalokiteshvara, our parents will be blessed by the deity. Though we may be separated from our parents physically at two different places, they can still get benefit from that.
和父母相處的時候，常常要多擔待一點。我們憶念父母恩德，也可以用金錢資助他們。要知道做這些最大的受益者是自己。父母只能得到福德的一半，最大的受益是自己。父母總有一天也是要死亡，自己也是。能夠帶走的是慈悲心。年老和病痛是我們不能解決的事情，那是業。如果能讓他們戴佩解脫手環，服用甘露法藥，會有些利益。要康復有時非常困難。 如果你孝養父母的心特別深切，可以將這樣的心擴展到所有眾生。如此來擔憂眾生。所有的眾生就如同我們的父母，以此發起菩提心，這對我們會非常有益。
We should take up more responsibility when we are with our parents. By remembering their kindness, supporting them financially and so on, the one who benefits the most is actually ourselves. Our parents may only acquire half of the merits but we can benefit from it all. They will die sooner or later, the same applies to us. The only thing we can bring with us at the time of death is the compassionate mind. Hoping to reverse the aging process or cure their sickness is something beyond our ability. That's just karma, however, it is beneficial for them to wear the wristband of liberation upon wearing and intake the nectar of dharma medicine. Sometimes it's difficult to heal the person from illness. If you have a very strong motivation to take care of your parents, you can expand that mind to all beings. With such consideration for the sentient beings, you can perceive them as your parents and develop the mind of compassion, and that will greatly benefit us.
Q:那我的父母都已經過世了，該怎麼辦？
Both of my parents had passed away, what should I do?
A：父母雖不在世上，但是他們的心並沒有滅。要記得你的慈悲心是對外的，持續這樣做一定會有幫助，包括對已經去世的父母。
A：Although they are no longer alive, their minds haven’t been ceased. Remember that your compassion should be applied toward the beings out there. By doing so continuously, it will certainly bring great benefit to all, including your parents.
願利一切有情！May this benefit all sentient beings!
台灣噶千佛學會Taiwan Garchen Dharma Insitute
http://www.garchen.tw/
