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Mustard seeds 

by George Leslie Ranasinghe

Oh! Devatas of high heaven! I beseech you. May no one else ever go through heart rending sorrow of this type. May not even an ant be ever in this intensive pain. How am I to bear this? My heart is about to split and tear asunder.

This child of mine was hale and hearty in this morning. Some harm has come on my child. Who has harmed my child? Be my witness O! Devatas, now the child's body is cold and lifeless. His pair of beautiful eyes are closed forever. My darling son! Please open your eyes. Who brought you to this evil condition? I see some people at a distance. They are coming towards me. I will speak to them and at least find out how can I get this child cured.

Gentlemen! Please listen. Please look at my child. In the morning this child was alright and was playing about happily. But now it has stopped talking altogether. Its eyes are closed. Its body is cold. How can I get my child cured. Sirs? Please take pity on me and tell me what I should do to get my child cured.

Madam, are you mad? The child is dead, can't you see? No physician can give life to a dead person.

What are you saying Sirs? Can a mother ever listen to such words? You people are cruel and hard - hearted. have you no children? Have you no brothers and sisters? Only the mother is moved when the child suffers. You are not human beings. You are devils. You are not sensitive to a child's pain.

Madam, please do not be offended. There is no use weeping and lamenting now. The child is dead. No medicine can bring it back to life. The only thing to do now is to bury it.

But I cannot understand what you say. This child was quite alright in the morning. My darling gem - my son. Get up son without giving me too much sorrow. This lady is out of her senses. She does not understand what we say. let us direct her to Gautama Buddha.

That's fine. Let us tell her that there is a very good doctor who can heal people in sorrow.

Yes, let us tell her to take the child to the place where the Buddha is. Yes, that's the best thing to do.

Sister! We are sorry for hurting your feelings. We were impatient. We know a doctor who can cure the child. We were reminded of him only just now. We know where he resides.

How nice! What good fortune! Thank you Devatas for bringing me here. Wherever that doctor may be I'll go there. I will give him anything he wants as a fee. Madam, he is a doctor who does not ask for a fee. He will not accept a fee.

Then please take me there. I will compensate him for his services to get my son cured.

He is now residing at Jetawanarama Temple in the city of Sravatthi. It is a far off place, but it is worth going there.

I will start now itself while there is strength in my feet. I shall go right up to the place where that great man is.

Take courage mother that's the spirit. (After very long hours of walking)

Oh! I am not tired. It is difficult for me to walk any more. I see some one there. I see many people around him. That must be the great doctor; The people around him are probably followers and admirers who have confidence in him. How dignified he is in his yellow robe! yet how calm and quiet he looks! He may be treating patients and prescribing medicines. Those people also may be in sorrow, like me. I am sure he will prescribe a medicine for my child. He looks very kind hearted. I have never before seen so kind a face. My hand is shivering. Without further delay I shall go straight up to him.

A man in the crowd comments:

Who are you mad woman? Where are you going? You have a dead child in your arms.

Don't trample me you fellow.

Get aside man!

Get up now!

What has happened to that woman?

I don't know really. She is lamenting aloud and running towards the Buddha. What is her loud lament? She is calling upon everyone to help her child to recover. If this child dies her life will also terminate, she says.

What nonsense is this! How can a dead child be brought back to life? What is the point in giving medicine to a child already dead? This woman is mad. Don't say so friend. She has lost her senses through sorrow over her child's death. Whatever the reason may be she's mad. That's all. You wag your tongue too much. You have no pity for this woman.

Surely, there is nothing wrong in saying that a dead child is dead. What is wrong in saying that a mad woman is mad? You were listening to the Buddha all this while. The Buddha is never opposed to making factually correct assertions.

Yes, that's true. He always makes things clear and explains reality. That is why so many people come to listen to him although India has never lacked persons who can preach. That is why people always want to know where the Buddha resides.

Look! There's a female with a child in her arms. She is asking something from Buddha. Let us not make a noise. We can then hear what reply the Buddha gives her. Oh! Venerable Sir, This child of mine was quite alright in the morning. But now it is lifeless like a log of wood. Its body is cold.

I told several people but they did nothing saying that the child is dead. Then some one suggested that I should come and tell you Sir. Please recommend a medicine for my child. Please give some treatment so that my child may recover.

Good Lady, please be calm. It is true that this child is now dead.

Oh! Sir Please cure my child somehow or other.

Any person who dies is reborn according to this Karma. This corpse cannot be revived. Death is unavoidable.

No one born in Samsara can live forever. Some day or other he or she dies. The only place where there is neither birth nor death is Nirvana. All of us should make Nirvana our goal.

If this child dies my life is useless. I'll also die.

Good lady!, please remain calm. No living person is useless. Suicide is a heinous sin. We must do skilful meritorious actions. Only then will Nirvana be easy of access.

Then Lord! Is there no way whatsoever to heal my miserable child? There is one way sister, I shall tell you what it is. Go and bring a few mustard seeds.They must be from a house where no one has died.

Yes, Sir.

What those people said is true. This kind hearted personage can dispel my sorrow.

He can bring my child back to healthy life. I must do what he says. I'll go and get some mustard seeds from a house where no one has died.

Over there I see a house.

Tap - Tap - Tap.

Who lives here please?

Why? You are Kissa Gotami. Aren't you Kissa Gotami? What are you doing Kisa with a dead body in your arms?

I have no time to tell you the details. Has any one in this house died some time or other? Ah! Yes, our uncle died. Our father died. Several others who lived here have also died. Our grandfather died. Father died. Many others died. Why are you asking this question?

I am searching for mustard seeds. I have to get some mustard seeds from a house where nobody had died.

In this province there is no house where nobody had ever died.

I will go and inquire. There's a small house in the distance. I shall try there. It was only last month that mother died. Father died a long time ago, when we were children. Younger brother died soon after birth. Mother has said so many times that younger brother died in this house.

Now I have gone to so many houses. In every house someone or other had died. Now I see. There is no one who does not die. There is no one at all who can evade death. What that great man said is quiet true. I must return to him soon and fall prostrate at his feet. I must first bury my dead child. This is Karma. Now I see.

There that woman is coming again. Let us keep off the road. She may be going to meet the Buddha again.

Yes! Yes!

Innocent woman alas!

Sir! Sir! pardon me please. I was unable to find a house where no one had died. I am now convinced, that death comes to all of us. I crave your pardon Sir, for disturbing you.

Good Lady! Death is unavoidable. We must know that such is reality.

We must therefore do meritorious skilful actions and keep away from demeritorious unskilful actions. Nirvana can be attained only by such conduct. Yes Sir, you have thrown light on nature of life. I had never before looked at life in this way. Indeed Sir, you are the Buddha.

You have made my life worth living. I come to Buddha for refuge. The Buddha is my refuge.

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