About the Author
Betty Renshaw was an Australian teacher and writer who loved sharing simple stories with deep lessons. She lived in the 20th century and worked to make old tales easy for young readers to understand. This chapter is her retelling of a famous Buddhist story from ancient India. Betty focused on life's big truths, like how to face sadness, in a way that feels like a gentle chat. Her writing helps us see wisdom from Buddha's time without any confusion.
What’s the Story About?
This chapter is a touching tale from Buddha's life, full of sadness turning into peace. It follows Kisa Gotami, a simple woman from a poor family in a village near Benares (now Varanasi). She had one little son, her whole world, and she loved him more than anything. But one day, her boy fell sick and died. Imagine the pain—Kisa couldn't believe it. She held her son's body tight and ran from door to door, crying and begging, "Please give me medicine to bring my baby back!" People felt sorry for her but knew no doctor could fix death. They tried to take the body for burial, but she wouldn't let go. Finally, they said, "Go to Gautama, the wise teacher (Buddha). Maybe he can help."
Kisa rushed to Buddha with her son's body on her hip. She fell at his feet, tears streaming, and pleaded, "Lord, save my child! Give me medicine!" Buddha looked at her with kind eyes and said, "Woman, I can help, but first fetch me a tiny mustard seed from any house where no one has ever died." Hope lit up in Kisa's heart. She thought, "This is easy! I'll get it quick and my boy will wake up." She ran back to the village, knocking on every door. At the first house, an old woman said, "Mustard seed? Yes, but last year my daughter died." Kisa's smile faded a bit, but she moved on.
At the next home, a young man answered, "We have it, but my father passed away just months ago." Door after door, the story was the same. Rich homes, poor huts—everyone had lost someone: a husband, a sister, a baby, or a grandparent. By evening, Kisa sat under a tree, her arms heavy from carrying the body, her feet sore from running. She looked at the houses glowing with lamps, but now she saw the truth: death comes to all, like a thief in the night. No house is safe from it. Her heart broke open—not just for her son, but for everyone's pain.
She gently carried her boy to the cremation ground and said goodbye. Then, she returned to Buddha, empty-handed but wiser. "Lord," she said, "I could not find such a seed. Every home has known death." Buddha nodded and shared his sermon, like a soft light in the dark. He said life is like a city with gates—birth, old age, sickness, and death. We all pass through them, just like a farmer's crops grow and fade with the seasons. Clinging to what's gone is like holding sand; it slips away. True peace comes from accepting this flow and being kind to others in their sorrow.
Kisa understood at last. She left her grief behind and joined Buddha's followers as a nun, finding joy in helping others. The story ends on a hopeful note: even the deepest hurt can lead to light if we learn to let go.
It's a short but powerful read that feels like a hug for anyone who's ever lost something dear. It shows how one wise lesson can heal a broken heart.
Who’s Who in the Story
- Kisa Gotami: The main character, a sad mother from a poor family. She's loving but broken by her son's death, and her journey turns her from desperate to peaceful.
- Gautama Buddha: The wise teacher, calm and kind like a gentle father. He doesn't give quick fixes but guides Kisa to see the truth about life and death.
- The Villagers: Everyday people in the town who feel pity for Kisa. They share their own stories of loss when she asks for the mustard seed.
- Kisa's Son: A little boy, not much of a character but the heart of her pain. His death starts the whole adventure.
Themes and Moral
The story weaves in big ideas about life that hit close to home, explained like stories around a family fire:
- Life's Impermanence: Nothing lasts forever—people, joys, even sorrows come and go like river water. The chapter shows us to cherish the now without holding too tight.
- Grief and Acceptance: When bad things happen, like losing a loved one, it's okay to cry. But healing comes from seeing we're not alone; everyone faces it. Buddha teaches: Fight pain with understanding, not anger.
- Compassion for All: Kisa learns to feel for others' hurts after her own. The moral is: Share kindness like seeds in a field—it grows peace everywhere.
- Wisdom Over Magic: No spell fixes death, but a teacher's words can change your heart. Lesson: Look inside for strength; it's better than wishing for miracles.
The main moral is simple: Life is short and full of ups and downs, like a wheel turning. Accept it with a soft heart, and you'll find freedom from fear. It's a reminder to live kindly, knowing tomorrow isn't promised.
Important Vocabulary and Phrases
Here are some key words and phrases from the chapter, chosen for their feel. I've explained them in plain talk, like explaining to a classmate:
- Wail: To cry very loudly and sadly, like howling when your heart hurts too much to speak.
- Wretched: Feeling terribly unhappy and small, like a lost puppy in the rain.
- Anguish: Deep, sharp pain in your mind and heart, like a knife twist from bad news.
- Mustard Seed: A tiny yellow seed used in cooking or farming—here, it's a small thing that teaches a huge lesson.
- Cremation: Burning a dead body as a goodbye, common in some places, like sending smoke to the sky.
- Sermon: A talk by a wise person on how to live better, like a teacher's story time with meaning.
- Impermanent: Not lasting forever, like ice cream melting on a hot day.
- Clung: Held on tight, not wanting to let go, like gripping your favorite toy.
- Wheel of Life (phrase): Buddha's way of saying life keeps spinning with good and bad times, round and round like a cart wheel.
- Householder (phrase): A regular family person with a home and duties, not a holy wanderer—just everyday folks like us.
Practice these by spotting them in the story. They make the words come alive, like colors in a drawing!