Children Who Want Their Father to Quit Drinking : หน้า 114/207

Even the Lord Buddha, once enlightened, did not immediately return to Kapilavatthu City to give a Dhamma talk to his father. He realized that if he had done that, his father would not have listened. Instead, after his enlightenment, Lord Buddha first went to teach the people in the town of Magadha. He wished for his reputation to grow and reach his father, and to have others speak of his goodness. Once his reputation grew, he became confident that his father had complete trust in him. Even then, the Lord Buddha had to perform a miracle by walking in circles, walking in the air, and triggering a powerful Bokarapotta rain. Those people who wanted to get wet, did, and those who did not want to get wet, did not. It was a heavy rain storm. After his father and the royal family saw the miracle, they let go of their stubbornness, and demonstrated their respect by paying homage to the Lord Buddha. They listened and believed in his Dhamma, and some eventually attained enlightenment themselves. The moral of the Lord Buddha story is that, in order for children to be successful in helping their fathers quit drinking, they themselves must be wholesome, and they must be role models that people can respect. Let your father acknowledge that you are smart and proficient, so that he cannot look down upon you. Then, find an appropriate approach that is respectful of, and suitable for, him. If you succeed, you will also gain tremendous merit from helping him. The Warm Hearted Family. 226 Children Who Want Their Father to Quit Drinking The Warm Hearted Family 227 Children Who Want Their Father to Quit Drinking