NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 10 The Sermon at Benares

The Sermon at Benares NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 10

Students who need help with their studies, don’t pass up the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English opportunity. This is why they should take advantage of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 10 The Sermon at Benares, which will provide them with all that’s needed in order to succeed during such as important year for students! This chapter is all about the journey of Gautam Buddha turning himself into a saint after he left home at the age of twenty-five to seek enlightenment. He explored the world for several years and achieved enlightenment under a peepal tree at Bodhgaya. He delivered his first sermon at Benaras.

The Sermon at Benares NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

The Sermon at Benares Thinking about the Text

Question 1.
When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?
Answer:
When Kisa Gotami’s only son dies, she goes from house to house asking for some medicines that could bring life back to her son. No, she does not get any such medicine. Death is common to all. Once a mortal dies, no medicine can bring the life back.

Question 2.
Kisa Gotami again goes from house to house after she speaks with the Buddha. What does she ask for, the second time around? Does she get it? Why not?
Answer:
Kisa Gotami again goes from house to house after she speaks to the Buddha. The Buddha had asked her to bring some mustard seeds from a household which had never lost any family member. She was offered mustard seeds by almost all the households but there was not a single household that had not lost any member of the family. So she did not get the required mustard seeds.

Question 3.
What does Kisa Gotami understand the second time that she failed to understand the first time? Was this what the Buddha wanted her to understand?
Answer:
Kisa Gotami could not find a house where nobody had died before. She sat down hopelessly watching the lights of the city, as they flickered up and were extinguished again. Now she understood the fate of a man. She realised that death was common to all and she was not the only one who had lost her child. Almost every household had lost a child, parents or any other relative. Yes, this was the point ‘ that Gautama Buddha wanted her to understand.

Question 4.
Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding?
Answer:
Kisa Gotami did not understand that death is common to all for the first time. When she could not find a household that had not lost any person she understood that she was not the only one who had lost her son. The Buddha changed her perception. Now she realised that death is common to all. One should not grieve as it does not help in getting peace of mind.

Question 5.
How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she is being ‘selfish in her grief ’?
Answer:
Selfishness usually means thinking and working for own benefits. When we keep self before others, we are selfish. I don’t agree with Kisa Gotami that she was ‘selfish in her grief’. She had lost her only son and wanted some medicines for him. This act cannot be called a selfish act. She did not want the medicine at the cost of others. It was a desperate effort of a mother for her son which cannot be called an act of selfishness.

The Sermon at Benares Extra Questions and Answers

The Sermon at Benares Reference-to-Context Questions

Read the following extract carefully and answer the questions that follow.

Question 1.
Gautama Buddha (563 B.C. — 483 B.C.) began life as a prince named Siddhartha Gautama, in northern India. At twelve, he was sent away for schooling in the Hindu sacred scriptures and four years later he returned home to marry a princess. They had a son and lived for ten years as befitted royalty.

(a) Gautama Buddha began life as a prince named
Answer:
Siddhartha Gautama

(b) Gautama married a and had a son.
Answer:
royal princess

(d) Find the same meaning of the word, “holy” in the extract.
Answer:
sacred.

Question 2.
At about the age of twenty-five, the Prince, heretofore shielded from the sufferings of the world, while out hunting, chanced upon a sick man, then an aged man, then a funeral procession, and finally a monk begging for alms. These sights so moved him that he at once went out into the world to seek enlightenment concerning the sorrows he had witnessed.

(a) At the age of twenty-five Siddhartha Gautama went for ………..
Answer:
hunting.

(b) The prince chanced to see a sickman, an aged man, then a funeral procession and a begging for alms.
Answer:
monk.

(d) Find the same meaning of “awakening” in the extract.
Answer:
enlightenment.

Question 3.
He wandered for seven years and finally sat down under a peepal tree, where he vowed to stay until enlightenment came. Enlightened after seven days, he renamed the tree the Bodhi tree (Tree of Wisdom) and began to teach and. to share his new understandings. At that point he became known as the Buddha (The Awakened or the Enlightened). The Buddha preached his first sermon at the city of Benares, most holy of the dipping places on the River Ganges.

(a) Gautama wandered for and finally sat down under a peepal tree.
Answer:
seven years

(b) Gautama to stay under the tree until enlightened came.
Answer:
vowed.

(d) Find the same meaning of the word ‘roamed’ in the extract.
Answer:
Wandered.

Question 4.
At that point he became known as the Buddha (The Awakened or the Enlightened). The Buddha preached his first sermon at the city of Benares, most holy of the dipping places on the River Ganges; that sermon has been preserved and is given here. It reflects the Buddha’s wisdom about . one inscrutable kind of suffering.

(a) The Buddha preached his first …………. at the city of Benares.
Answer:
sermon

(b) The first sermon of Buddha reflects his …………… about one inscrutable kind of suffering.
Answer:
sermon

(d) Find the antonym of the ‘comprehensible’.
Answer:
inscrutable

Question 5.
Kisa Gotami had an only son, and he died. In her grief she carried the dead child to all her ’ neighbours, asking them for medicine, and the people said: “She has lost her senses. The boy is dead.” At length, Kisa Gotami met a man who replied to her request, “I cannot give thee medicine for thy child, but I know a physician who can.”

(a) Kisa Gotami went to her neighbours asking them for some
Answer:
medicine

(b) In her grief, Kisa Gotami carried her child to all her neighbours.
Answer:
dead

(d) Find the same meaning of ‘a doctor’ in the extract.
Answer:
a physician.

Question 6.
Poor Kisa Gotami now went from house to house, and the people pitied her and said, “Here is mustard-seed; take it!” But when she asked, “Did a son or daughter, a father or mother, die in your family?” they answered her, “Alas! the living are few, but the dead are many.”

(a) Kisa Kotami went from house to house to get seed.
Answer:
mustard

(b) Kisa found that there was not a single house where no one
Answer:
had died

(d) Find the antonym of the word ‘dead’.
Answer:
living.

Question 7.
Kisa Gotami became weary and hopeless, and sat down at the wayside watching the lights of the city, as they flickered up and were extinguished again. At last the darkness of the night reigned everywhere. And she considered the fate of men, that their lives flicker up and are extinguished again.

(a) Kisa Gotami become weary and hopeless because she could not get ………. from any house.
Answer:
mustard seeds

(b) Kisa sat down at the wayside watching the ………. of the city.
Answer:
lights.

(d) Find the same meaning of ‘put out’ in the extract.
Answer:
extinguished.

Question 8.
Mark! while relatives are looking on and lamenting deeply, one by one mortals are carried off, like an ox that is led to the slaughter. So the world is afflicted with death and decay, therefore the wise do not grieve, knowing the terms of the world.

(a) The world in afflicted with
Answer:
death and decay

(b) Mortals are carried off, like an ox that is led to the
Answer:
slaughter

(d) Find the same meaning of ‘gave pain or distress’.
Answer:
afflicted.

Question 9.
Not from weeping nor from grieving will anyone obtain peace of mind; on the contrary, his pain . will be the greater and his body will suffer. He will make himself sick and pale, yet the dead are not saved by his lamentation. He who seeks peace should draw out the arrow of lamentation, and complaint, and grief.

(a) Weeping or grieving increases our ……. and we suffer.
Answer:
pain

(b) He who seeks peace should draw out the arrow of
Answer:
lamentation

(d) Find the antonym of ‘alive’ in the extract.
Answer:
dead.

The Sermon at Benares Short Answer Questions

Question 1.
Why was Gautama known as Buddha?
Answer:
‘Buddha’ means ‘The Awakened’ or ‘The Enlightened’. After seven years of wandering Gautama attained wisdom. When he started sharing his new understandings with the suffering people, he was called ‘Buddha’.

Question 2.
Where did Gautama Buddha preach his first Sermon? What was it all about?
Answer:
Gautama Buddha preached his first sermon at Benares, the holiest city. It was about the ways to overcome our sorrows. It reflects Buddha’s wisdom about one inscrutable kind of suffering.

Question 3.
Why was Kisa sad? What advice was given to her?
Answer:
Kisa Gotami had lost her only son. He was dead. She loved him very much and wanted him to be alive. But she could not find any medicine so she was sad. She was advised to go to Buddha.

Question 4.
What did Kisa request her neighbours to give for her son? Did she get it?
Answer:
Kisa Gotami asked her neighbours to give her a medicine that could bring life back to her son. No, she could not get any.

Question 5.
How did Kisa Gotami realise that life and death is a normal process? [Delhi 2019]
Answer:
Buddha asked Gotami to bring mustard seeds from a house which had never lost any member of the family. She was unable to get such a house only then she came to know that life and death is a normal process so as man is mortal and is bound to die.

Question 6.
When and where was Gautama Buddha born? Why did he decide to leave the palace?
Answer:
Gautama Buddha was born in 563 B.C. in Northern India. Buddha was away from all the sorrows of life. Once he saw a sick man, a beggar, an aged man and a funeral procession. He realised that the world was full of sorrow. He wanted to attain knowledge. So he decided to leave the palace to get enlightened.

Question 7.
How did ‘Bodhi Tree’ get its name?
Answer:
After seven years of wandering Gautama sat under a peepal tree. He attained knowledge under that tree and got enlightened. He renamed the tree as ‘Bodhi tree’ which means the tree of wisdom. ‘Bodhi’ means knowledge.

Question 8.
What kind of suffering is reflected in the Sermon?
Answer:
Grief over the death of a loved one is the main theme of this sermon. People fail to understand that death is common to all. All mortals have to die. There is no use of lamentation. One does not get peace of mind unless one overcomes the sorrows.

Question 9.
What were the greatest sorrows that pained Buddha?
Answer:
Poverty, illness and death were the greatest sorrows that pained Buddha. He saw a poor man begging, an old man and a funeral procession that changed his course of life. These sights moved him so much that he went out into the world to seek enlightment and truth.

Question 10.
Why did people think that Kisa had become mad?
Answer:
Kisa Gotami’s only son had died. She was not ready to accept the fact that once a mortal dies, he/she cannot be brought back to life. She went to her neighbours with her dead son to get some medicines to bring him back to life. People thought that Kisa had gone mad.

Question 11.
Why did Kisa go to Gautama Buddha?
Answer:
One of the neighbours advised Kisa Gotami to go to Buddha who could have given her some life¬saving medicine for her son.

Question 12.
According to Gautama Buddha, how can a person get a peace of mind?
Answer:
A person can get peace of mind only if he draws out the arrows of lamentation, complaint and grief. Those who overcome all sorrows become free from disillusion, get peace of mind and be blessed.

The Sermon at Benares Long Answer Questions

Question 1.
“The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain… .” with this statement of the Buddha, find out what Kisa Gotami learnt after the death of her child. [Delhi 2016]
Answer:
According to Buddha, all men are mortal so those who have been born cannot avoid dying. Life of mortal is always troubled and brief. Sorrow and suffering are inevitable to the mortals. All young . and adult fall into the power of death; all are subject to death. So the wise do not grieve, knowing the terms of the world. Kisa Gotami after the death of her child learnt from lord Buddha that death is common to all; he who has overcome pain will become free from pain, and be blessed.

Question 2.
The sight of a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession and a monk made Siddhartha leave his home and go out in search of enlightenment. What lesson about life do you learn from this episode?
Answer:
Siddhartha lived a life full of luxuries till the age of twenty-five. Once when he went outside to hunt, he saw a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession and finally, a monk begging for alms. The sight moved Siddhartha so much that he left the home and went in search of enlightenment. The incident revealed a great truth — life is short. Beauty, riches, comforts all are transitory and vanish one day.

If we all understand this fact and work towards making our life valuable for others, there would be no fight, grudges and pain. When somebody does something wrong, he/she forgets that one day we are going to be punished for our wrong deeds. In our trouble, we should have faith in God to struggle in life and wait for good times to come.

Question 3.
What happened when Kisa Gotami went from house to house to get the mustard seeds as instructed by Buddha? Does this teach you something about how to overcome grief and hopelessness? Write your answer.
Answer:
Kisa Gotami was suggested by Buddha to go and bring some mustard seeds from a house where there has been no death. Unable to find such a house, she reflected upon her action. Truth dawned upon her. She realised that surrendering ourselves is the only way to get rid of one’s pains and sufferings. There is a continuous cycle of life and death, happiness and sorrows. Wise persons do not grieve. One should remain calm and dauntless in all the situations. By doing so, peace of mind can be obtained.

Question 4.
What is the truth of life, according to Buddha? How should a wise man behave in times of trouble or mishappenings?
Answer:
According to Buddha, all men are mortal. One who is born, is sure to die. All things in nature die and are reborn—be it animals, plants or objects. Some people start behaving like a madman whenever a problem arises in their life. They lose their sense of reasoning and become depressed. But this is not a solution to come out of your grief. A sensible person understands the realities of life and remains balanced in all the situations. The lesson here is that whenever we come across a problem, we should try to find out its solution. Instead of blaming our fate or others, we must think deep for the reason of that problem. By being calm, resolute and contented, most of the problems can be solved.

Question 5.
How can one attain peace? Does the lesson teach you something? Explain in your own words the theme of the lesson.
Answer:
One can attain peace by renunciation, i.e. by giving up all material gains. Too much affinity to material gains brings grief, one cannot have sleep even, pondering over how to attain one’s material gains like amassing one’s fortune, conquering countries, enriching one’s property. One who can overcome one’s greed, grief and lust can obtain peace.

This lesson, in fact, teaches us through the sermon of Lord Buddha. The sermon teaches us that we all are mortals. So we will die one day. We should not grieve, nor should we crave for material gains, surrender of our selfishness, lust and grief leads us to the path of immortality.
‘ Life is short, men are mortal and everything is transitory. So we should be freg from sorrow. Path to enlightenment is to surrender all material gains and draw out the arrows of lamentation, complaints and grief.

Question 6.
Kisa Gotami lost her only son and grieved. She is desperate in saving his life. She goes from one place to another. She is criticized for this act of desperation and is called mad. Is it not a normal reaction of a normal human being? Is it justified to criticize Kisa Gotami? What is your opinion?
Answer:
Kisa Gotami lost her only son and grieved. She is desperate in saving his life. She goes from one place to another. She is criticized for this act of desperation and is called mad. But I find it a normal reaction of a normal human being. Every mother has such feelings for her son. Every possible effort is made to save a life. Kisa Gotami is also a normal mother who wants her son to come to life. Her action is a normal action. A person loses his common sense when one is grieved.

All logic or reasoning fails. No doubt one has to accept the universal truth of life and death. But it takes time to understand it. Kisa Gotami’s action was a normal act and she should not be called a mad woman. It is a normal action of a grieving mother. It is easy to say that in case of any loss one should be quiet, calm and composed but is difficult to put in practice.

Question 7.
A timely help and sympathy is a great help for those who are in grief. Gautama Buddha helped Kisa Gotami by his kind words and guidance in overcoming her grief. It is a big relief for the grieving person if support and care are extended to them. How are kindness and sympathy important in a peaceful and joyful life?
Answer:
Most people in our society are unhappy and grieved because the values of kindness and sympathy are missing day by day from our life. There is no timely guidance and help. People suffer because of their ignorance or their lack of knowledge about the reality of life. They do not accept the things as they are Overambition and unnecessary craving for the things make them ultimately suffer. They are not satisfied with what they have. They desire for the things they don’t deserve for and suffer.

People are not kind to one another. There is lack of sympathy for one another. This all leads to sufferings. Kisa Gotami suffers because of her selfish desire and craving for her son. Gautama Buddha relieves her from her pain by his guidance and kindness. All human beings are victims of such desires and they suffer but the timely guidance and kindness may help them. Timely help and sympathy is a great help for those who are in grief. Gautama Buddha helped Kisa Gotami by his words love and guidance in overcoming her grief. It is a big relief for the grieving person if support and care are extended to them in time.

Conclusion

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