Even if one should carry about one’s mother on one shoulder and one’s father on the other, and so doing should live a hundred years…. Moreover, if one should set them up as supreme rulers, having absolute rule over the wide earth abounding in the seven treasures – not even by this could one repay one’s parents. And why! Bhikkhus, parents do a lot for their children: they bring them up, provide them with food, introduce them to the world.
Yet, bhikkhus, whoever encourages their faithless parents, and settles and establishes them in faith; or whoever encourages their immoral parents and settles and establishes them in morality, or whoever encourages their stingy parents, and settles and establishes them in generosity, or whoever encourages their foolish parents, and settles and establishes them in wisdom – such a person, in this way repays, more than repays, what is due to their parents.
-Anguttara Nikaya: Twos, 32
Here is a talk by Ajahn Sumedho on the subject: http://www.amaravati.org/abm/english/documents/gratitude/data/gratitude.html
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
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