A woman had a son who was very ill and nigh unto death. She had tried everything to cure him. She visited all the doctors and tried their remedies without success. When these failed they encouraged her to seek out the Buddha as a last resort.
She followed their advice and visited Buddha. He listened to her plight then said, “Go find me some mustard seed from a household that has been untouched by death.” The woman immediately went forth house to house. Everyone wanted to help her, but none could, for they had all been touched by death. Finally the woman realized she would not find a house untouched by death and that her peace was not to come in curing her son but from the soothing and comfort she gained from the many people she had visited who had passed deaths door as well.
Story from Great Courses Lecture on Axial Age Religion
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