The Sermon at Benares – Summary and Important Questions for Board Exam (CBSE ENGLISH CLASS 10)
Summary
"The Sermon at Benares" describes a pivotal moment in the life of Gautama Buddha. Born a prince named Siddhartha Gautama, he lived a shielded life until he witnessed four sights—a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession, and a monk begging—which prompted him to seek enlightenment. After attaining Nirvana under a Peepal tree, he became the Buddha (The Enlightened One).
He delivered his first sermon at Benares, the holiest of cities on the banks of the Ganges. The sermon is illustrated through the story of Kisa Gotami, whose only son had died. In her grief, she sought medicine to bring him back to life. Buddha told her he could help if she brought him a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had ever died. As she traveled from house to house, she realized that death is common to all. Buddha taught her that the life of mortals is brief and combined with pain, and that peace of mind comes only by accepting the inevitable nature of death.
Short Answer Type Questions
Q1. Why did Prince Siddhartha leave his palace and family?
ANS: While out hunting, the Prince saw a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession, and a monk begging. These sights of suffering moved him so deeply that he went out into the world to seek enlightenment concerning the sorrows he had witnessed.
Q2. What does the name "Buddha" mean?
ANS: The name "Buddha" means "The Enlightened One" or "The Awakened One." It was the title given to Siddhartha Gautama after he attained spiritual knowledge under the Bodhi tree.
Q3. Why did Buddha choose Benares to give his first sermon?
ANS: Benares was considered the holiest of the bathing places on the river Ganges. By choosing this location, the Buddha ensured his message reached many people who came there seeking spiritual cleansing.
Q4. What did Kisa Gotami ask the Buddha for?
ANS: Kisa Gotami went to the Buddha in deep grief, asking for a medicine that would bring her dead son back to life.
Q5. What condition did Buddha put for Kisa Gotami to get the mustard seeds?
ANS: Buddha told her she must bring a handful of mustard seeds, but they must be taken from a house where no child, husband, parent, or friend had ever died.
Q6. What did Kisa Gotami realize at the end of her search?
ANS: She realized that death is common to all and that she had been selfish in her grief. She saw that the "lights of the city" flickered and were extinguished, just as the lives of men flicker and are extinguished again.
Q7. How does the Buddha describe the life of mortals?
ANS: The Buddha describes the life of mortals as troubled, brief, and combined with pain. He explains that there is no way for those who have been born to avoid dying.
Q8. What comparison does Buddha use to explain the certainty of death?
ANS: He compares mortals to ripe fruits that are in danger of falling and to earthen vessels made by a potter that ultimately break. Similarly, all living beings are in danger of death.
Q9. Can grieving or lamenting bring peace of mind?
ANS: No, according to the Buddha, grieving and lamenting only increase the pain and make the body suffer. Peace of mind is only achieved by those who have drawn out the arrow of lamentation and complaint.
Q10. Who according to the Buddha is "blessed"?
ANS: He who has overcome all sorrow becomes free from sorrow and is blessed.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q1. Explain the philosophy of life and death as taught by the Buddha in this sermon.
ANS: The Buddha teaches that death is an inescapable part of the natural cycle. He explains that just as ripe fruits must fall and earthen pots must break, all mortals must die. Seeking to bring back the dead is a futile exercise that only results in more physical and mental pain. True wisdom lies in understanding that "the world is afflicted with death and decay," and true peace comes from accepting this reality rather than struggling against it through excessive grief.
Q2. How did the Buddha make Kisa Gotami realize the truth about death?
ANS: Instead of lecturing her, the Buddha used a practical method. He sent her on a task that seemed simple but was impossible: finding mustard seeds from a death-free home. Through her own experience of rejection at every door, Kisa Gotami moved from personal grief to a universal understanding. This "learning by doing" helped her realize that her son's death was not an isolated tragedy but a common fate for all humanity.
Q3. "Selfishness in grief" is a central theme. Discuss this with reference to Kisa Gotami.
ANS: When Kisa Gotami’s son died, her grief was so intense that she forgot the pain of others. She went from door to door demanding a miracle, ignoring the fact that every family had lost someone. Her realization at the city gates—watching the lights flicker and vanish—showed her that she was not alone in her loss. The Buddha taught her that by clinging to her sorrow, she was being selfish; to find peace, one must look beyond oneself and accept the collective destiny of all living beings.
Q4. Describe the journey of Siddhartha Gautama from a Prince to the Buddha.
ANS: Siddhartha lived a life of luxury until the age of 25, protected from the world's suffering. Upon witnessing sickness, old age, and death, he renounced his royalty, wife, and child to become a wandering seeker. For seven years he sought knowledge, finally sitting under a Peepal tree where he vowed to stay until he was enlightened. After seven days of meditation, he attained Nirvana and began teaching his "Sermon at Benares" to help others overcome suffering.
Q5. What is the significance of the "mustard seeds" in the story?
ANS: The mustard seeds represent the commonality of human existence. While the seeds themselves were ordinary and easy to find, the source (a house without death) was non-existent. This was a symbolic tool used by the Buddha to show that while life is common, so is death. It served as a bridge for Kisa Gotami to move from the physical world of seeking "medicine" to the spiritual world of seeking "understanding."
C. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. At what age did Siddhartha Gautama leave his home?
A) 20 B) 25 C) 30 D) 35
ANS: B) 25
Q2. Under which tree did Siddhartha Gautama attain enlightenment?
A) Banyan tree B) Neem tree C) Peepal tree D) Mango tree
ANS: C) Peepal tree
Q3. What did Kisa Gotami’s son die from?
A) Fever B) Old age C) Not mentioned in the text D) Accident
ANS: C) Not mentioned in the text
Q4. What did the Buddha ask Kisa Gotami to bring?
A) Gold B) Holy water C) Mustard seeds D) Rice
ANS: C) Mustard seeds
Q5. The city of Benares is located on the banks of which river?
A) Yamuna B) Ganges C) Narmada D) Godavari
ANS: B) Ganges
Q6. What did Kisa Gotami compare the lives of men to?
A) Flickering lights B) Rising sun C) Flowing water D) Growing trees
ANS: A) Flickering lights
Q7. According to Buddha, what is the fate of all earthen vessels?
A) To be filled B) To be decorated C) To be broken D) To be sold
ANS: C) To be broken
Q8. What did the Buddha rename the Peepal tree?
A) Holy Tree B) Bodhi Tree C) Wisdom Tree D) Nirvana Tree
ANS: B) Bodhi Tree (Tree of Wisdom)
Q9. Which of the following is NOT one of the "four sights" seen by the Prince?
A) A sick man B) A blind man C) A monk begging D) A funeral procession
ANS: B) A blind man
Q10. How many years did Siddhartha wander before sitting under the tree?
A) 5 years B) 7 years C) 10 years D) 12 years
ANS: B) 7 years
Check: IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR BOARD EXAMINATION CBSE CLASS 10 ENGLISH
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