There are some parents who, having fulfilled the duties and responsibilities towards their children, dwell developing wholesome deeds―performing meritorious activities. They speak of nibbāna, too. They have set hopes on deva and brahma worlds as well. In whatever meritorious activity they perform, each day they spend, they spend the whole time with a deeply affectionate bond with each other.

It is by leaving behind Yasodharā that Prince Siddhārtha went forth in search of the Dhamma; and not just her, by leaving behind Rāhula, too. While having a bond with them one cannot think of an extinguishment. Even for Yasodharā, to realize extinguishment, she had to let go of both Prince Siddhārtha and Rāhula. While being bound with one another, one cannot penetrate extinguishment, realize extinguishment. With companions one cannot journey for the purpose of extinguishment. He or she, too, you must let go of. Once you let go, your path will be clear, straightforward. Even though it is only he or she who stays beside you for companionship when you are forlorn, that person means the entire world. That person is the string that tethers you to the whole world.

If you are skilful, having let go of the very person who stays beside you for companionship, having first realized the Dhamma yourself, becoming a being who has at least escaped the fourfold-hell, thereupon help him or her out as well.

The more you are simple, at ease and unencumbered, the better the chances of you getting ashore from the path to nibbāna. Although it is the encumbrance―the burden―called he or she that you keep carrying making it yours, a burden is still a burden. Before you can free yourself from the burden of the rest of the world, you must free yourself from your own burden. Even though that mind of yours always keeps thinking that your partner is your source of help and refuge, as for the path to emancipation he or she is a huge boulder. Although as an exemplary couple the two of you may happily walk down the path of wholesome deeds hand in hand, someday at the moment of death if you were unable to let go of that hand, that would be a grave misfortune.