THE MUSTARD SEED

  THERE was a rich man who found his gold suddenly transformed into

ashes; and he took to his bed and refused all food. A friend,

hearing of his sickness, visited the rich man and learned the cause of

his grief. And the friend said: "Thou didst not make good use of thy

wealth. When thou didst hoard it up it was not better than ashes.

Now heed my advice. Spread mats in the bazaar; pile up these ashes,

and pretend to trade with them." The rich man did as his friend had

told him, and when his neighbors asked him, "Why sellest thou

ashes?" he said: "I offer my goods for sale."

  After some time a young girl, named Kisa Gotami, an orphan and

very poor, passed by, and seeing the rich man in the bazaar, said: "My

lord, why pilest thou thus up gold and silver for sale?" And the

rich man said: "Wilt thou please hand me that gold and silver?" And

Kisa Gotami took up a handful of ashes, and lo! they changed back into

gold. Considering that Kisa Gotami had the mental eye of spiritual

knowledge and saw the real worth of things, the rich man gave her in

marriage to his son, and he said: "With many, gold is no better than

ashes, but with Kisa Gotami ashes become pure gold."

  And Kisa Gotami had an only son, and he died. In her grief she

carried the dead child to all her neighbors, asking them for medicine,

and the people said: "She has lost her senses. The boy is dead. At

length Kisa Gotami met a man who replied to her request: "I cannot

give thee medicine for thy child, but I know a physician who can." The

girl said: "Pray tell me, sir; who is it?" And the man replied: "Go to

Sakyamuni, the Buddha."

  Kisa Gotami repaired to the Buddha and cried: "Lord and Master, give

me the medicine that will cure my boy." The Buddha answered: "I want a

handful of mustard-seed." And when the girl in her joy promised to

procure it, the Buddha added: "The mustard-seed must be taken from a

house where no one has lost a child, husband, parent, or friend." Poor

Kisa Gotami now went from house to house, and the people pitied her

and said: "Here is mustard-seed; take it!" But when she asked Did a

son or daughter, a father or mother, die in your family?" They

answered her: "Alas the living are few, but the dead are many. Do

not remind us of our deepest grief." And there was no house but some

beloved one had died in it.

  Kisa Gotami became weary and hopeless, and sat down at the

wayside, watching the lights of the city, as they flickered up and

were extinguished again. At last the darkness of the night reigned

everywhere. And she considered the fate of men, that their lives

flicker up and are extinguished. And she thought to herself: "How

selfish am I in my grief! Death is common to all; yet in this valley

of desolation there is a path that leads him to immortality who has

surrendered all selfishness."

  Putting away the selfishness of her affection for her child, Kisa

Gotami had the dead body buried in the forest. Returning to the

Buddha, she took refuge in him and found comfort in the Dharma,

which is a balm that will soothe all the pains of our troubled hearts.

  The Buddha said: "The life of mortals in this world is troubled

and brief and combined with pain. For there is not any means by

which those that have been born can avoid dying; after reaching old

age there is death; of such a nature are living beings. As ripe fruits

are early in danger of falling, so mortals when born are always in

danger of death. As all earthen vessels made by the potter end in

being broken, so is the life of mortals. Both young and adult, both

those who are fools and those who are wise, all fall into the power of

death; all are subject to death.

  "Of those who, overcome by death, depart from life, a father

cannot save his son, nor kinsmen their relations. Mark I while

relatives are looking on and lamenting deeply, one by one mortals

are carried off, like an ox that is led to the slaughter. So the world

is afflicted with death and decay, therefore the wise do not grieve,

knowing the terms of the world. In whatever manner people think a

thing will come to pass, it is often different when it happens, and

great is the disappointment; see, such are the terms of the world.

  "Not from weeping nor from grieving will any one obtain peace of

mind; on the contrary, his pain will be the greater and his body

will suffer. He will make himself sick and pale, yet the dead are

not saved by his lamentation. People pass away, and their fate after

death will be according to their deeds. If a man live a hundred years,

or even more, he will at last be separated from the company of his

relatives, and leave the life of this world. He who seeks peace should

draw out the arrow of lamentation, and complaint, and grief. He who

has drawn out the arrow and has become composed will obtain peace of

mind; he who has overcome all sorrow will become free from sorrow, and

be blessed."