生與死的故事～乞討芥菜籽 The story of life and death - Begging for mustard seeds
佛陀在世時，有一位母親因為孩子一出生沒多久就往生了，所以痛不欲生，乃至發狂。
When the Buddha was alive, there was once a mother who gave birth to a child. Unfortunately the child died shortly after birth. Because of this, the mother became too mournful which drove her mind close to insanity.
她抱著孩子到處去求，希望孩子可以再復活，
最後求到了佛陀面前，佛陀看到這位母親已經無法冷靜了，只好告訴她：「你的孩子能救活，但是你要先去付出、盡心。」
She would carry her child’s body with her to search for anyone who would be able to bring back her dead child. Finally, she came forth to Buddha for help. The Buddha saw her mind was out of control and agreed to help revive the child, but with the condition that she must agree to go any lengths to complete the tasks that would come before her in the journey.

她聽到佛陀這樣說，心中燃起一絲希望，不論是怎樣的付出，怎樣的盡心，她都願意。
When she received this good news from Buddha, a light of hope appeared within. She thought to herself, “I would put in all my effort and do anything to achieve the tasks set before me.”

佛陀就說：「那麼你去向從來沒有死過人的家庭討芥菜子。」芥菜子在印度是很普遍的，所以這位已經發狂的母親聽到這樣，就把孩子放在佛陀面前，挨家挨戶去找芥菜子。
Buddha said to her, “Very well then, you shall ask for some mustard seeds from someone who has never suffered a death in the family.”  The mustard seed is a very common food in India so she immediately accepted the task. She laid down her dead child’s body in front of the Buddha and began to enquire at every household in the town for some mustard seeds.

在討芥菜子之前，她就先問：「請問你的家庭有死過人嗎？」結果，芥菜子家家都有，只是家中從來沒有人往生的，怎麼找都找不到。
When she came to each household, she would always ask, “Have you ever lost someone in your family before?” Although every family she came across had mustard seeds, but she had not found one family that had not lost someone before.

從日出一直到日落，她雙手空空，帶著非常慘淡的心情，來到佛陀面前。佛陀很慈祥地問：「有沒有找到呢？」這位母親悲傷的回答：「芥菜子家家都有，只是找不到不曾死過人的家庭。」
She spent all day searching, but her hands were still empty of mustard seeds. With a heavy heart, once again, she came before the Buddha. The Buddha gently asked, “Did you find the mustard seeds?” “No,” she replied in sorrow, “Everyone has mustards seeds, but not one family have had not experienced bereavement.”

佛陀就說：「人生有生必有死，生命無常，沒有長短的固定。因緣來人間，因緣而消散，何必苦苦追求呢？」
Buddha said, “To be born and to die are the laws of nature. Life is impermanent; the length of life can be variable. The chance to be born as a human and to live as one, has come at great affinity, so why continue to seek for life, when has already come to an end of a chapter?”

她聽到佛陀慈祥而沈靜的開導，心就靜下來了，終於明白生命是無法強求的。既然人已經往生，不放棄也無奈。
The Buddha’s words of wisdom had enlightened her and she finally came to understand that she cannot have everything to her heart’s desires in life. She realized that the child has already left this world; it is wise to accept the truth and move on with her life.

「貪生畏死」是人之常情，只是「人生自古誰無死」？
Being afraid of death and having the desire to continue to live a long-lasting life is common human nature, but every life comes to an end, doesn’t it?

我們從來沒有聽過「保命畏死」的人就不會死，只一味想保護自己的生命，難道就有長生不死的人嗎？完全沒有。所以說生死是很自然的。
People have tried to avoid dying, but none have ever succeeded. It doesn’t matter how hard you try to preserve and protect yourself, we will always need to face death in the end. So therefore, death is a very natural thing.

我們若能覺悟，生命是隨著分秒時日消逝而抹滅的話，就會知道要利用生命，在人間多造福業，多修慧命。
If only we could understand that life diminishes as time goes on, and time never wait for us. Then we would live life to the fullest, add meaning to our impermanent life by doing good deeds to create good karma, give kind blessings and gather great wisdom.

什麼叫做福業？利益人群，功益社會即是。這在現代名詞叫做福祉，也就是造福地方。
What is good karma? It is a way in which we can benefit and improve the people and the society. The common word used is “welfare” which means to aid or promote well-being ‘for the common good’.

我們若能透徹了解生命的價值，有朝一日，在生死的關頭，能夠安心，懂得放下，就不會有生死掙扎的痛苦。
If we are able to understand of the true meaning of life, in the matter of life and death, we will see the situation from a broader perspective. We can peacefully rise above the concept and let go of all our worries, there will be no struggle between the pain of life and death.