CBSE Class 10 English (First Flight) Important Questions Chapter 8 - The Sermon at Benares

1. What led Siddhartha Gautama to leave his royal life?
Ans: Seeing a sick man, an aged man, a funeral, and a monk begging moved him to seek answers about suffering.

2. Where did Gautama Buddha achieve enlightenment?
Ans: Buddha achieved enlightenment under a peepal tree, which he later called the Bodhi Tree.

3. Who did Kisa Gotami seek help from after her son’s death?
Ans: Kisa Gotami sought help from Buddha, hoping he could bring her son back to life.

4. What task did Buddha give to Kisa Gotami to find the “medicine” for her son?
Ans: Buddha asked her to collect mustard seeds from a household that had not experienced death.

5. What lesson did Kisa Gotami learn by the end of her search?
Ans: Kisa Gotami learned that death is a natural and common part of life for everyone.

6. How did Buddha come to be known as “The Enlightened One”?
Ans: After meditating under the Bodhi Tree for several days, Siddhartha Gautama gained profound insight into human suffering and became Buddha, meaning “The Enlightened One.” His teachings about life, suffering, and death offered guidance to others.

7. Describe the feelings of Kisa Gotami when she first lost her son.
Ans: Kisa Gotami was overcome with grief and desperation, going from house to house seeking medicine to revive her son. Her initial reaction showed her inability to accept death’s finality and the deep sadness she felt.

8. Why did Buddha give Kisa Gotami the task of finding a house unaffected by death?
Ans: Buddha wanted Kisa Gotami to realise that death is universal and unavoidable. Through this task, he aimed to help her understand and accept her grief rather than dwell in despair.

9. How does Buddha describe human life in his sermon?
Ans: Buddha compares human life to fragile objects, saying it is short, filled with pain, and always in danger of ending, just like ripe fruits are always in danger of falling.

10. How does Buddha suggest one should deal with grief?
Ans: Buddha advises that one must remove the “arrow” of grief and lamentation to find peace. He teaches that grieving won’t bring back the dead and that acceptance is essential for inner peace.

11. Explain how Siddhartha’s encounters with suffering led to his transformation into Buddha.
Ans: Siddhartha was a prince shielded from the harsh realities of life, but his encounters with sickness, old age, death, and a monk’s serene acceptance made him question life’s purpose. These sights deeply affected him, leading him to seek answers about why humans suffer. His quest took him through years of wandering and meditation until he finally reached enlightenment. Buddha’s teachings then focused on understanding suffering and finding peace through acceptance, compassion, and wisdom.

12. Describe the events that led Kisa Gotami to a new understanding of life and death.
Ans: When Kisa Gotami’s only son died, she was consumed by sorrow, hoping to find someone to revive him. Buddha advised her to gather mustard seeds from a house untouched by death, and her search revealed that everyone had lost someone. Her repeated encounters with grieving families helped her realise the universality of death, leading her to let go of her selfish sorrow and understand that death is inevitable for all.

13. How does Buddha’s sermon explain the cycle of life and death?
Ans: Buddha explains that all living beings are subject to death, comparing life to ripe fruits that will inevitably fall. He states that young and old alike are under death’s control, and no one can escape it. This view is meant to help people accept death as part of existence, suggesting that wise individuals find peace by recognising this reality instead of clinging to grief.

14. How did Kisa Gotami’s experience reflect the concept of selflessness that Buddha taught?
Ans: Initially, Kisa Gotami’s grief made her desperate and focused only on her own pain, seeking an impossible cure for her son. Through Buddha’s guidance, she learned that death affects everyone, shifting her view from personal sorrow to a shared human experience. This realisation led her to see that her grief was isolating her and that true peace comes from letting go of selfish desires and accepting life’s realities.

15. Why does Buddha compare mortals to pottery in his sermon?
Ans: Buddha compares mortals to earthen vessels made by a potter, implying that, like pottery, humans are fragile and will eventually break or die. This comparison serves to remind people that life is temporary and that death is an inherent part of existence. The metaphor is meant to help individuals understand the importance of not clinging to life too tightly, as everything has an end.

16. Why do you think Buddha used the example of mustard seeds in his teaching for Kisa Gotami?
Ans: Buddha used mustard seeds, a common household item, to make the lesson accessible and relatable. By asking her to collect them from a household untouched by death, he cleverly illustrated the universality of loss, helping her understand that her grief was shared by all.

17. What might have been Buddha’s intention in using metaphors of ripe fruits and pottery in his teachings?
Ans: Buddha used these metaphors to make abstract ideas tangible, helping listeners understand life’s fragility. By comparing people to ripe fruits or pottery, he conveyed that life naturally moves towards its end, and this is an ordinary, expected process.

18. How did Kisa Gotami’s grief transform by the end of her experience?
Ans: Kisa Gotami’s grief transformed from desperation to acceptance as she realised that death is an inevitable part of life. This understanding lessened her sorrow, allowing her to find peace by accepting death as a shared human experience rather than a personal loss alone.

19. In what ways does Buddha’s teaching encourage people to live peacefully?
Ans: Buddha’s teaching encourages people to accept life’s realities, letting go of sorrow and attachment. By acknowledging death’s inevitability, individuals can find calm and focus on compassion and understanding rather than being consumed by grief or desires.

20. How does Buddha’s view on sorrow differ from the way people usually respond to loss?
Ans: People often respond to loss with prolonged grief and attachment to the deceased. Buddha, however, advises removing the “arrow” of sorrow by accepting death as natural, suggesting that peace comes from understanding life’s impermanence instead of resisting it.

21. How does Buddha’s teaching help people accept life’s difficulties?
Ans: Buddha’s teachings remind people that pain and death are natural, unavoidable parts of life. By accepting these truths, people can lessen their suffering and find a balanced, peaceful outlook.

22. Describe how Kisa Gotami’s reaction to her son’s death changed after meeting Buddha.
Ans: Initially, Kisa Gotami’s sorrow led her to irrationally seek a cure for her son’s death. Buddha’s task helped her see that death affects everyone, easing her grief and helping her understand that she was not alone in her sorrow.

23. Why does Buddha suggest that we should remove the “arrow of grief”?
Ans: Buddha suggests this because clinging to grief only deepens suffering. By letting go of sorrow, people can achieve inner peace and acceptance, rather than being overwhelmed by loss.

24. What lesson can we learn from Kisa Gotami’s experience about coping with grief?
Ans: Kisa Gotami’s experience teaches us that grief is universal and that finding peace often involves accepting loss rather than resisting it. Her journey shows that realising we are not alone in suffering can ease personal pain.

25. How does Buddha’s teaching on sorrow and mortality still apply to people today?
Ans: Buddha’s teaching remains relevant, as grief and loss are timeless human experiences. By promoting acceptance of life’s impermanence, his ideas help people today manage sorrow and focus on living peacefully.

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Conclusion:

"The Sermon at Benares" teaches us that death is a natural part of life and that grief is universal. Buddha's message encourages us to find inner peace by letting go of our attachments and accepting the realities of life. This timeless lesson on overcoming grief and understanding the cycle of life continues to offer comfort and wisdom for dealing with loss. Vedantu offers the FREE PDF for Important Questions Class 10 English Chapter 8 - The Sermon at Benares. The questions and answers are provided by subject matter experts who hold years of experience dealing with the CBSE curriculum.

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