Gotami was beautiful woman married to a rich man. Together they had a son but her son died one day . Gotami was grief stricken seeing her toddler son die so young. Carrying her dead son, she ran through the streets asking for help and medicine to restore the life in her son. People thought she had gone mad. Seeing her pitiful state villagers decided to send her to Buddha. They advised her, "Buddha is the only person who can help you and provide your son with everything he needs". Thus Gotami went to Buddha and asked him to give her the medicine that would restore the life in her son.
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| Buddha story |
The Buddha knowing her disturbed mental condition told her to get some mustard seeds from a home where no death has taken place. Overjoyed with the prospect of having her son restored to life, Gotami ran from house to house begging for mustard seeds. Everyone was willing to help but she could not find a single home where death had not occurred. The people were willing to give her the mustard seeds but they could not claim that no one had died in their family. As the day dragged on, she realised that hers was not the family that faced death and that there were more people dead than living. As soon as she realised this, her attitude towards her dead son changed, she no longer attached to the dead body of her son and she realised how simply the Buddha had taught her a most important lesson: that everything that is born must eventually die.
She buried her dead son and told the Buddha that she could find no family where death had not occurred. Then the Buddha said, "Gotami, you should not think that you are the only one who has lost a son. As you have now realised, death comes to all beings. Before their desires are satiated death takes them away."
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