Parents become the subject and standard before their children from all sides, but they are weak before their love. When love plays a central role, we can say that there is no authority of parents before love. On the contrary, it becomes upside-down. But the parents can still have the original attitude in that upside-down position.

When parents love children, they should not love them in a certain, fixed form, asserting themselves, saying, "Parents must be like this; they should not love children from the position of authority. They should love their children from an even higher position, from a place that forgets the authority of parents. We can say they truly are parents when they have such a love standing before their children.

If parents own love, they do not have it for themselves, but for the children. That love of parents does not exist only for the parents, but for the object of parents. It is the same with children. When children love their parents that love does not exist for the children, but for the parents. Love is not formed when centering on ourselves, but when we respect the object partner more than ourselves. So that is why when we say we were born for love, it has the same meaning as saying we were born for an object partner.

When children say, "Mother is mine forever," that mother is happy, giving the children her own flesh and blood. When we see this, what is the point of it? Sacrificing for the sake of others. When we say we like our friends, it is because we sacrifice for them. We are happy when giving to other people. We are happy because we sacrifice for the sake of others, wanting to give more even after we have given away our most precious possessions. We do not give wanting to have them back again, but we give feeling ashamed that we have given so little. That is parents' love. But the love of children is not like that. That is why the love of parents and the love of children are different. Parents feel sad even when they are giving for not being able to give something better, while the children think, "I am a dutiful son," and feel satisfied. That is why the love of parents and the love of children are different. Children may say, "I did this much, but what have Mom and Dad done while I did it?" There is a limit to the love of children. They cannot overcome this limit themselves, but the love of parents can win over this limit. (36-290)

In love between parents and children, or between husband and wife, or between brothers, the person in the position of subject must always give first. Even if the children do not notice it when the parents give, still that natural love flows with joy. (66-123)

Parents love children, but they do not love to receive love in return. They love to make a tradition of loving the descendants. (130-275)

It is the same with the relationship between parents and children. When their sons and daughters are young, they sit their children on their laps and adore them, but when the children grow up, that is not possible. Yet the love of the parents does not end even if the child grows old. That love appears more solidly. This love, which the parents would not exchange even for their own life, has more weight and value as the days go by. If the son discovers such value in parents' love, he is a dutiful son even if he is not called so. (33-86)

Now then, could the heart of parents loving their children change easily? Can it evolve? Can the love of your dear ones change? It cannot evolve. Well, when you have found such True Love, you do not allow it to change; but do you want someone to assist such a love? Do you want that? It cannot be added to, nor taken from.

Would you say, "Oh, my parents are so ugly, so I will exchange them with your parents. I will do that today"? [No] That is why it cannot be added to or subtracted from. That is why it is good in and of itself. Only itself. (66-158)