The Buddha told Kisa that he could help to cure her child but that he would need for her to leave her son with him while she got a special ingredient which he needed to prepare medicine. Close followers of the Buddha were surprised at this, as they could see that the child was long beyond the help of even the most skilled medical men. However, the Buddha went on to explain to Kisa that she would need to get some mustard seed from one of the nearby houses and bring it to him. Kisa was expecting to be asked to find something very rare to use as medicine so was surprised and delighted that the Buddha had only requested that she obtain something as commonly used as mustard seeds which were part of everyone’s store cupboard.