modeller: Such direct answers were not given by either Jesus or Buddha; to questions like as yours they always spoke in allegory or example. A woman came to Shakyamuni Buddha distraught from the death of her child and asked could he console her, he said she must first go and bring him a handful of mustard seed, but it must be from a house where there had been no bereavement or suffering. She realised after going to many houses how universal death and suffering was, and she was not alone in her grief, this was great lesson. She returned without the seed and legend has it she became the first female follower of what was to become Buddhism.