Question

Answer of the following question in 100–120 words:

Grief or sadness is an emotion natural to all types of loss or significant change. You have been asked to present an analysis of the approaches of Lencho and Kisa Gotami in dealing with their respective losses. Write this presentation draft including your insights, and comparing the approaches of both.

You may begin like this: One acknowledges that Lencho had unwavering faith in God whereas Kisa Gotami in her grief, believed that her son ______ however ______. 

(Reference – A Letter to God and The Sermon at Benares).

Answer 1

One acknowledges that Lencho had unwavering faith in God, whereas Kisa Gotami in her grief believed that her son could be brought back to life, however, she eventually learns a profound lesson on the universality of death. Lencho's faith in divine intervention led him to seek help directly from God, illustrating a deep-rooted belief in the supernatural's benevolence towards human affairs. He was so confident in this belief that he attributed the arrival of help solely to a divine source, overlooking the human agency involved. This faith guided his actions entirely, showing a single-minded reliance on a higher power for resolution.

Conversely, Kisa Gotami's initial denial of her son's death reflects a desperate hope for reversal, a common initial response to grief. Her journey, prompted by the Buddha's task to find a mustard seed from a household untouched by death, gradually unveils to her the universal nature of suffering and loss. This task, while seemingly simple, leads her to the realization that death is an inevitable part of life that affects all, teaching her acceptance and the importance of moving forward.

The contrast between Lencho's unwavering faith in God as a direct benefactor and Kisa Gotami's eventual understanding of death's universality underlines different dimensions of dealing with loss. Lencho's approach is rooted in externalizing hope towards a divine figure, maintaining a somewhat static stance towards his situation. In contrast, Kisa Gotami's journey represents an internal transformation, a move from denial towards acceptance, facilitated by a broader engagement with her community and the human condition itself.

Through these narratives, we observe that while faith and hope can offer comfort in times of loss, the path to acceptance and understanding often requires confronting the reality of our shared experiences of suffering and mortality. Lencho's story teaches us about the strength and resilience that faith in a higher power can provide, whereas Kisa Gotami's story offers a lesson in the healing that comes from acknowledging our shared human vulnerabilities and the cyclical nature of life and death. Both approaches, though different in their methods and outcomes, highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of human response to loss.