The family is the place where the minds
of its members come in contact with
one another. 
A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another. If these minds love one another, the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But if these minds get out of harmony with one another, it is like a storm that plays havoc with the garden.
If discord arises within one’s family, one should not blame others but should examine one’s own mind and follow a right path.
Things that will damage the family
The “six holes” which cause the loss of wealth are desire for intoxicating drinks and behaving foolishly, staying up late at night and losing the mind in frivolity, indulging in musical and theatre entertainments, gambling, associating with evil companions, and neglecting one’s duties.
Ways to repay the great indebtedness one
owes to one’s parents
But if he leads his parents to Buddha and explains the Buddha’s teachings to them, and persuades them to give up a wrong course and follow a right one, leading them to give up all greed and enjoy the practice of offering, then he will be more than repaying them.
The proper way of the son towards
his parents
First, as for the way of the parents and child in the eastern direction, the child should carry out five deeds. One should take care of the parents, work for the sake of the parents, protect the family lineage, inherit the family property, and hold memorial service for the ancestors.
Right way between husband and wife
Next, as for the way of the husband and wife in the western direction, the husband should treat her with respect, courtesy and faithfulness, entrust her with decision-making, and present her with gifts. The wife should carry out all her work well, attend to the needs of the family members, be faithful to her husband, protect the family property, and make the family af fairs go well. Thus, the way of the husband and wife in the western direction will be peaceful and without sorrow.
Husband and wife should have
the same faith (Story)
The relation of husband and wife was not designed merely for their convenience. It has a deeper significance than the mere association of two physical bodies in one house. Husband and wife should take advantage of the intimacies of their association to help each other in training their minds in the holy teaching.
An old couple, an “ideal couple” as they were called, once came to Buddha and said, “Lord, we were married after we had been acquainted in childhood and there has never been a cloud in our happiness. Please tell us if we can be remarried in the next life.” The Buddha gave them this wise answer: — “If you both have exactly the same faith, if you both received the teaching in exactly the same way, if you perform charity in the same way and if you have the same wisdom, then you will have the same mind in the next birth.”
