Question

Why did the poor woman go to Buddha?

Answer 1

The poor woman, named Kisa Gotami, went to Lord Buddha in deep grief and despair after the tragic death of her only son. Unable to accept the loss, she wandered from house to house, carrying her dead child in her arms, begging people to give her some medicine to bring him back to life. Everyone thought she had gone mad with sorrow, but one kind man advised her to go to Buddha, the Enlightened One, who might be able to help her.
Kisa Gotami approached Buddha with the hope that he would perform a miracle and revive her child. Her journey to Buddha was driven by her inability to cope with the harsh reality of death and her strong maternal attachment. She believed that since Buddha was a holy man, he could somehow find a cure for her child’s death. Her visit to Buddha symbolizes the deep human struggle to accept death, and her pain reflects the natural emotional response to personal loss.

Answer 2

Lord Buddha did not immediately tell Kisa Gotami the reality of death in a direct manner. Instead, he chose to teach her through experience. He told her to go into the village and bring a handful of mustard seeds from any house where no one had ever died. He promised that if she could find such a house, he would be able to help her.
Kisa Gotami went from one house to another, but in every household, she heard stories of death — someone had lost a father, mother, brother, sister, or child. She could not find a single home untouched by death. Gradually, through this process, she came to understand the universal truth that death is inevitable and that no one escapes it. This realization brought her inner peace and acceptance. She returned to Buddha, placed the body of her child aside, and became a disciple.
Through this compassionate method, Buddha helped her transition from personal sorrow to spiritual enlightenment. His message was that death is a part of life and that understanding this truth helps overcome suffering.

Answer 3

The sad replies that people gave her were that they had no food to give. Each house that she approached turned her away with sorrowful excuses. These responses reflected the widespread hardship and poverty in the community, as everyone was struggling to survive. Despite her desperate pleas, no one was in a position to help her, which added to her sense of hopelessness and despair. These replies were not just expressions of inability, but also carried deep emotional weight, showing the helplessness of a society unable to support even its most vulnerable.

Answer 4

The word in the passage that means ‘softly’ is gently. This word conveys a sense of calmness and tenderness, typically associated with a soft or light action or tone. In the context of the passage, it may have been used to describe a character’s voice, behavior, or the manner in which something was said or done.