Phra Kisa Gotami (Wirin #10)

English Program
Second Semester
Academic Year 2021

Report:
Phra Kisa Gotami

Subject: Moral M.5
Subject code: SOC32106

Submit:
A. Palatthorn Bunsiripalatkul

By:

Wirin Worawittayawong M.5/15 No.10

Preface

This report is a part of Moral Subject. The objective of
this report is to Know more about Phra Kisa Gotami, the nun
who was praised by the Lord Buddha as an attained nun who was
superior to other nuns in terms of modestly.

Publishers hope that this report will be useful to readers
or students who are currently researching and studying this topic.
If there are any suggestions or errors, we will sincerely embrace
them and apologize.

Content:

1. Introductory Story
2. Professing Buddhism
3. Her work on Buddhism
4. Virtues as good model for leading a life
5. Reference

Introductory Story

Phra Kisa Gotami had the former name "Gotami".
However, because of the leanness of her body, she was referred
to as Kisa Gotami or Lean Gotami. Phra Kisa Gotami used to be
the daughter of a wealthy family in the city of Savatthi.
Unfortunately, they suffered the misfortune that their money and
gold turned to coals. However, when Kisa Gotami touched those
coals, they turned into silver and gold as before. Thus, the other
rich man asked her to be his daughter-in-law later. She was married
to the son of that rich man, but still, the treatment she received
from her in-laws was not in keeping with a lady of noble birth.
They never let her forget her beginnings.

Kisa Gotami’s story is one of the more famous ones in
Buddhism. After being insult and losing her only child, Kisa
Gotami became desperate and asked if anyone could help her.
Then, she met the Buddha, who comforted her and preached to
her the truth.

To profess Buddhism

Kisa Gotami and the Mustard Seed:

One day after Kisa Gotami married a young billionaire,
she gave birth to a son. Unfortunately, the baby fell sick and died
soon after that. Kisa Gotami loved her son greatly and refused to
believe that her son was dead. She carried the body of her son
around her village, asking if there was anyone who could bring
her son back to life. The villagers all saw that the son was already
dead and there was nothing that could be done. They advised her
to accept his death. In great grief, she fell upon her knees and
clutched her son’s body close to her body. She kept uttering for
her son to wake up. A village elder took pity on her and suggested
to her to consult the Buddha.

“Kisa Gotami. We cannot help you. But you should go to the
Buddha. Maybe he can bring your son back to life!”

Kisa Gotami was extremely excited upon hearing the elder’s
words. She immediately went to the Buddha’s residence and
pleaded for him to bring her son back to life.

“Kisa Gotami, I have a way to bring your son back to life.”

“My Lord, I will do anything to bring my son back”

“If that is the case, then I need you to find me something. Bring
me a mustard seed but it must be taken from a house where no
one residing in the house has ever lost a family member. Bring
this seed back to me and your son will come back to life.”

Having great faith in the Buddha’s promise, Kisa Gotami
went from house to house, trying to find the mustard seed. At the
first house, a young woman offered to give her some mustard
seeds. But when Kisa Gotami asked if she had ever lost a family
member to death, the young women said her grandmother died a
few months ago. Kisa Gotami thanked the young woman and
explained why the mustard seeds did not fulfill the Buddha’s
requirements. She moved on to the 2nd house. A husband died a
few years. The 3rd house lost an uncle, and the 4th house lost an
aunt. She kept moving from house to house, but the answer was
all the same – every house had lost a family member to death.

Kisa Gotami finally came to realize that there is no one
in the world who had never lost a family member to death. She
now understood that death is inevitable and a natural part of life.
Putting aside her grief, she buried her son in the forest. She then
returned to the Buddha and became his follower.

Her work on Buddhism

After Phra Kisa Gotami was ordained as a nun, she
practiced the Dharma until she attains an Arahant. The Lord
Buddha praised her as an attained nun who was superior to other
nuns in terms of modestly.

Virtues as good model for leading a life

1. Being Modestly
2. Willingly practice the Dharma
3. Accepting that death is inevitable and a natural part of

life

Reference

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kisa_Gotami
- https://buddhiststories.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/kisa-

gotami-and-the-mustard-seed/
- https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E

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8%B2%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A1
%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%96%E0%B8%A3%E0%
B8%B5
- http://myanmarpedia.blogspot.com/2007/09/kisa-gotami-
gotami-was-daughter-of-poor.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhat