Table of Contents
1.In “The Sermon at Benaras”,What was the impact of observing the sufferings of the world on Buddha ?
Ans: Though Buddha spent a royal life in his early life, when he had the sight of an old man, a funeral procession, a sick man and a begger, he had a deep impact on his mind and heart. He was so much affected by the sufferings of the people that he left his all materialistic happiness in his royal life in search of enlightenment . He had a deep desire to understand the world around him.
2. Why did Kisa Gotami meet the Buddha? How did Buddha change her life?
Ans: When Kisa Gotami’s son died, she was in search of medicine and doctor to revive her son. So she met the Buddha and pray
ed Him to bridrng back her son’s life. Buddha taught her that in reality death is inevitable and we all are bound to die. If we set aside our desires, complaints, and griefs we become composed and get peace of mind and real happiness, which is free from worldly sorrows and sufferings.
3. What does Kisa Gotami understand from watching the lights?
Or
How did Kisa Gotami realize that life and death is a process?
Ans: Being disappointed and weary after visiting house to house to get a handful of mustard seed, Gotami sat down at the roadside to watch the light of the city as they flickered up and extinguished again. But darkness of the night covered everything. Then Kisa understood the real nature of human life like those lights, that flicker up like all the bright lights of the city but they must be extinguished at the end of the day. Our death is also unavoidable. Thus kisa Gotami understood that life is born to die at any day at any cost. Thus “The Sermon at Benaras ” gives us a life changing knowledge.
4. According to Buddha, who are wise men ?
Ans: Wise people are those who know the universal truth. They never complain or lament over their loses. They accept what they get and loss and move according to their pace. They know that steadiness is the law of life. Thus , they make their lives calm, composed, peaceful and blessed.
5. Through the story of Kisa Gotami , what did Buddha try to preach to the common man?
Or,
What did Buddha say about death and suffering?
Ans: In the text “The Sermon at Benaras“,Buddha said that life is full of suffering and death is the ultimate result of our lives. We are bound to die. Nobody can get rid of it. We have to meet death one day. It is the ultimate destiny. Who has taken birth, will die one day. We may be sad when we loss our dear ones, but we must remain calm and composed to overcome it. People, who are intelligent and wise never lament over their losses. They accept the truth and move on. Thus wisdom gives us the power to overcome pain and grief.
The Sermon at Benaras -Questions and Answers, NCERT Class 10 First Flight, an extraordinary life-lesson.
6. How can death be considered an equaliser?
Ans: Death is same for all. Death does not discriminates its victims by age, status, gender, caste, creed and religion. Everyone is equal to death. Thus death can be aptly called an equaliser.
7. What is the significance of the Buddha’s request for a handful of mustard seeds and the addition of a condition to it?
Ans: In “The Sermon at Benaras”,Kisa Gotami was in extreme grief for the loss of her son . When she visited the Buddha, she was requested to bring a handful of mustard seeds. It seemed very simple at first. Buddha asked to bring the mustard seeds from a house where nobody had died. But it was impossible to find that-kind of family in the universe because death is common for all living-beings. Thus Kisa realized the inevitability and true nature of death. Kisa gotami also found that her agony was also very common to all the people of the universe.
8. How according to Buddha can one obtain peace of mind?
Ans: According to Buddha, one can obtain peace of mind if he set asides his grief, lamentation and sorrow of the materialistic losses. Buddha also said that wise people are those who overcome to all sorrows and become free from disillusion. They can get peace of mind and be blessed throughout their lives.
9. What is the main idea expressed in “The Sermon at Benaras”?
Ans: The main idea expressed in “The Sermon at Benaras”, is the harsh reality of the world. The world is full of pain and sorrow, and it is also a valley of death. All living creatures are mortals i,e they have to admit death. Buddha tells that in this world we must overcome grief and lamentation to get peace of life.Thus we can make our lives peaceful and blessed.
10. What is the greatest grief of life ? What should a wise person do when he or she is faced with such a situation?
Ans: The greatest grief of our life is the death of our loved ones.
Instead of lamenting on the death, we should accept the truth of death. As lamenting only increases our pain and disturbs the peace of our mind, we should accept it and proceed positively in our lives.
11. “As ripe fruits are in danger of falling early, so mortals, when born, are always in danger of death”- With this statement of Buddha, find out the moral values that Kisa Gotami learnt after death of her child in “The Sermon at Benaras”.
Ans: in “The Sermon at Benaras”, Kisa Gotami learnt that life is full of sorrow and pain. Death is inevitable to all of us. In the valley of suffering, pain and death, we have to find a way to survive, keeping our pain set aside. Only wise people follow this technique. Real wisdom is to accept the inevitable nature of death and continue to move ahead with hope and positivity in our life.
12. When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house, what does she asks for? Does she get it? Why not?