The purpose of Buddhism is to solve the problems of life, alleviate the suffering of human beings, and obtain happiness and liberation, and lamentation and separation from the beloved are counted among the universal sufferings of human existence. They are closely associated with death and bereavement, and happen to everyone. In general, the loss of an only child is the most painful and unbearable. How a mother confronted the passing of her only child (son or daughter) and coped with loss and grief in the early Buddhist texts? How the Buddha helped them to pass through sadness? Actually, bereavement may be more than a negative experience, and may possess positive implications. It gives the bereaved an opportunity to transform themselves from grief to inner tranquility and enlightenment, and the assistance does not comprise giving mere comfort or support, but also emphasizes the proper understanding of impermanence and the causes of suffering. This paper is a textual, narrative and comparative study of the bereavement process in the three cases in the Therīgāthā and its commentary (the Therīgāthā-aṭṭhakathā): Ubbirī lost her only daughter Jīvantī, Vāsiṭṭhī lost her only son, and Kisāgotamī lost her only son. It analyses and integrates the bereavement cases according to the structure of the Four Noble Truths (cattāri ariya saccāni), the similarities and differences among the bereaved, the reactions, the processes of changes, and finally consequences are related and compared. How the Buddha led them realize the impermanence on their path from grief to arahatship (arahatta) is also essential.
Ⅰ. Text Sources and Analysis Model 29 Ⅱ. Ubbirī Lost Her Daughter, Jīvantī (Case Ubbirī) 31 A. The Death in Case Ubbirī 32 B. The Reaction in Case Ubbirī 33 C. The Process of Change in Case Ubbirī 33 D. The Consequences in Case Ubbirī 36 E. Sub-Conclusion of Case Ubbirī 37 Ⅲ. Vāsiṭṭhī Lost Her Only Son (Case Vāsiṭṭhī) 39 A. The Death in Case Vāsiṭṭhī 39 B. The Reaction in Case Vāsiṭṭhī 40 C. The Process of Change in Case Vāsiṭṭhī 41 D. The Consequences in Case Vāsiṭṭhī 42 E. Sub-Conclusion of Case Vāsiṭṭhī 43 Ⅳ. Kisāgotamī Lost Her Only Son (Case Kisāgotamī) 45 A. The Death in Case Kisāgotamī 46 B. The Reaction in Case Kisāgotamī 46 C. The Process of Change in Case Kisāgotamī 48 D. The Consequences in Case Kisāgotamī 52 Ⅴ. Comparison of the Cases on Women Who Lost Their Only Child in the Therīgāthā 57 A. Comparison of the Deaths 57 B. Comparison of the Reactions 58 C. Comparison of the Processes from Grief to Insight 60 D. Comparison of the Consequences 63 Ⅵ. Conclusion of the Process from Grief to Arahatship 64
