The Grace of Gratitude »

Gratitude Appreciates all Assistance!

The Buddha indeed pointed out Gratitude as an important mental quality:
These two people are hard to find in the world. Which two?
The one who is first to do a kindness, and
The one who is grateful and thankful for any kindness done.
Anguttara Nikāya 2.118

I tell you, monks, there are two people, who are not easy to repay:
Which two? Your mother and father. Even if you were to carry your mother on one
shoulder and your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look
after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, and rubbing their limbs, and they were
to defecate and urinate right there on your shoulders, you would not thereby repay
your parents. Even if you were to establish your mother and father in an absolute
sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would not
by that way repay your parents! Why is that so? Mothers and fathers do much for
their children. They care for them, they nourish them for long, and they introduce
them to this world. But anyone who arouses his unbelieving mother and father, settles
and establishes them in faith; arouses his immoral mother and father, establishes them
in virtue; arouses his stingy mother and father, settles and establishes them in generosity;
arouses his unwise mother and father, settles and establishes them on a new level of true
understanding: It is in this way that one truly repays one's mother's and father's many
and longstanding services, and sacrifices. Anguttara Nikāya 2.32

Parents, compassionate to their family, are called Brahma, first teachers, those worthy
of gifts from their children. So the wise should show respect, honour them with food and
drink, clothing and bedding, and anointing, bathing, washing their feet. Performing these
services to their parents, the wise are praised right here, and after death rejoice in heaven.
Itivuttaka 106

If this is what you think of me:
The Blessed One, is sympathetic, is seeking our well-being, teaches us this Dhamma out of
sympathy, then you should train yourself in being in harmony, cordial, without any conflict,
and train yourselves in cultivation of all the 37 fine mental qualities, the 4_Foundations_of
Awareness, the 4 right efforts, the 4_Feet_of_Force, the 5 Abilities, 5 powers, and the
7 Links to Awakening, culminating in the Noble_8-Fold_Way. Majjhima Nikāya 103

A Tathagata is worshipped, honoured, respected, thanked, and shown gratitude
by any follower, who keeps practicing the Dhamma in accordance with this true
Dhamma, who keeps practicing masterfully, who lives in, and by this Dhamma!
Digha Nikāya 16

We will undertake and practice those qualities that makes one a contemplative,
so that all those, who helped us by services of robes, alms-food, lodging, transport
and medicines will bring them great fruit, and great future reward. Majjhima Nikāya 39

Comments:
In Pali, the word for gratitude = kataññu literally means to have a sense of what was
done for one in the past, even when long ago. Remembering all help! A network of kindness
and gratitude is what sustains whatever goodness there is, and ever will be in this
- if otherwise - destitute and impoverished - world!

Thus: Thank you for reading this!

Source (edited extract): The Lessons of Gratitude by Thanissaro Bhikkhu:
https://what-buddha-said.net/library/ati_website/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/lessonsofgratitude.html
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Appropriate_Appreciation.htm