CBSE Class 10 English The Sermon at Benares Important Questions Set 04

Long Answer Questions

Question 1. ‘The only way out is through.’ Comment with reference to the theme of the story in about 120 words.
Answer: The quote, “The only way out is through,” resonates with the theme of the story as it reflects the essence of the Buddha’s teachings. In the story, the Buddha emphasises the importance of facing and understanding the realities of life. He teaches that true liberation and enlightenment come from directly engaging with suffering rather than avoiding or suppressing it. The Buddha’s own journey is an example of this. When he saw the sick man, the aged man and the funeral procession, he didn’t turn away from the suffering. Instead, he delved deeper into understanding the nature of suffering and sought a way to transcend it. Kisa Gotami too found peace only after facing the truth of death.

Question 2. Help is the greatest gift offered by people to those who are in need. Examine the help received by Kisa and Valli, highlighting their situations.
Answer: In ‘The Sermon at Benares’, Kisa Gotami was overcome with grief after the death of her only son. She carried his dead body from door to door, seeking medicine to revive him. It was through the Buddha’s wisdom that she learnt the important lesson that death is inevitable and comes to all. One has to accept this reality to live in peace.
Similarly, in ‘Madam Rides the Bus’, Valli received help from the conductor, who made sure that she was safe and sound as she was travelling alone. Apart from the conductor, the passengers on the bus were also concerned for Valli. They even asked her to sit down while she was looking out of the window. Everybody took care of Valli even though she didn’t ask anyone to do so.

Question 3. ‘The Sermon at Benares’ could just as well be considered another glimpse of India. If it were part of the chapter ‘Glimpses of India’, what ideas, values and/or experiences would it highlight? How would you present this historical part of India?
Answer: Benares is an Indian city with deep religious and cultural significance. It houses many temples and is situated on the banks of the Ganga. If it were part of ‘Glimpses of India’, Benares would feature as a cultural hub with a strong appeal for those who want to experience the spiritual side of India. It would also be important for Buddhists and history enthusiasts because the Buddha gave his first sermon near Benares. The history of Benares is intertwined with the history of Hinduism and of India. I would present it as a place for mental and spiritual rejuvenation, highlighting values like compassion, acceptance and inner peace.

Question 4. It was the second time that Kisa understood the Buddha’s teaching about death. Comment. (NCERT)
Answer: Kisa Gotami was so overwhelmed with sorrow and pain that her ability to think clearly was clouded. She couldn’t realise that no one can escape the cycle of death. When she failed to find mustard seed from a house that had seen no death, she became disheartened. After deep reflection, she made peace with the ways of the world. The Buddha played a major role in this shift in her understanding by teaching her that one must not grieve for what is bound to happen, for it only deepens the pain and suffering. He helped her realise that death is inevitable and no one can escape it.

Question 5. How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being ‘selfish in her grief’? (NCERT)
Answer: ‘Selfishness’ usually means caring only about oneself and one’s own needs without thinking of others. Such a person does not understand reality beyond his own concerns. Kisa Gotami was grieving the death of her son and went from house to house asking for medicine to cure him. Later, the Buddha told her to bring a handful of mustard seed from a house where no one had died. Kisa Gotami once again went from door to door but could not find a single house where a family member had not died. This is when she realised that she was being ‘selfish in her grief’. I agree with this, because she was thinking only of her own loss, and by asking people whether anyone had died in their family, she was reminding them of the loved ones they had lost.

Question 6. Through the story of Kisa Gotami, what did the Buddha try to preach to the common man? (CBSE 2023)
Answer: Through the story of Kisa Gotami, the Buddha tried to teach the world the harsh truth of life and death. Kisa Gotami had lost her only child. She was so heartbroken that she couldn’t accept his death and asked everybody for medicine to bring her son back to life.
Later, she went to the Buddha for help. He asked her to bring mustard seed from a house where no one had ever died. Kisa could not find such a house. Then the Buddha told her the truth of life: death is certain and inescapable, and every mortal has to die one day. This world is full of sorrow and grief, but a wise man should not mourn, as mourning only increases the pain. Acceptance of loss and death is the only way to live in peace.

Question 7. A character arc is the transformation or development of a character throughout a story and refers to the changes a character undergoes as a result of their experiences, challenges and interactions with other characters. In the light of the above information, trace the character arc of Kisa Gotami from the story, in about 120 words.
Answer: At the beginning, Kisa Gotami is a grief-stricken mother who cannot accept the death of her only son. She carries his body from house to house asking for medicine, and people think she has lost her senses. When she meets the Buddha, she is filled with hope and sets out to collect mustard seed from a house where no one has died. Going from door to door, she discovers that every family has lost someone dear. Sitting by the wayside and watching the city lights flicker and go out, she realises that death is common to all and that she has been selfish in her grief. By the end, she accepts the truth of life and finds peace, changing from a desperate mother into a wiser, calmer person.

Question 8. Imagine that Kisa Gotami is inspired by the teaching of the Buddha, “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”, and sets out on a journey to inspire others. As Kisa, write a speech to be addressed to the masses.
Answer: Brothers and sisters, I stand before you as a mother who once lost her only son. In my grief, I carried his body from door to door, begging for medicine. I believed that no one in the world had suffered as I had.
Then the Buddha asked me to bring a handful of mustard seed from a house where no one had died. I went to every house, but in each one some loved one had passed away. I understood that death is common to all.
The Buddha taught that weeping and grieving do not bring peace; they only increase our pain. Let us draw out the arrow of sorrow, accept the truth of life and death, and live with compassion for one another. Only then will we find peace of mind.

Question 9. “The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain...” With this statement of the Buddha, find out the moral value that Kisa Gotami learnt after the death of her child. (CBSE Delhi 2016)
Answer: “The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain...” With this statement of the Buddha, the moral value that Kisa Gotami learnt after the death of her only child is that one must accept the truth that the world is afflicted with death and decay and that death is common to all; everyone suffers equally.
Throughout life mortals form worldly bonds from which they never want to separate. However, nothing lasts for ever. Therefore, one should not act selfishly by trying to hold back that which is already gone. One must not grieve, for grieving does not bring peace of mind. It only brings more sorrow. To achieve peace of mind, one has to surrender all selfishness and completely overcome one’s sorrow. One who is able to do that will be blessed.

Question 10. Through ‘The Sermon at Benares’, the Buddha preached that death is inevitable and we need to overcome the suffering and pain that follows. Based on your reading of the lesson, write how one should cope with the death of a loved one. (CBSE AI 2015)
Answer: “The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain...” With this statement of the Buddha, the moral value that Kisa Gotami learnt after the death of her only child is that one must accept the truth that the world is afflicted with death and decay and that death is common to all; everyone suffers equally.
Throughout life mortals form worldly bonds from which they never want to separate. However, nothing lasts for ever. Therefore, one should not act selfishly by trying to hold back that which is already gone. One must not grieve, for grieving does not bring peace of mind. It only brings more sorrow. To achieve peace of mind, one has to surrender all selfishness and completely overcome one’s sorrow. One who is able to do that will be blessed.

Question 11. The Buddha said, “The world is afflicted with death and decay, therefore the wise do not grieve, knowing the terms of the world.” Do you think the statement is appropriate even for today’s life? Write your views in the context of the above statement. (CBSE Delhi 2014)
Answer: “The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain...” With this statement of the Buddha, the moral value that Kisa Gotami learnt after the death of her only child is that one must accept the truth that the world is afflicted with death and decay and that death is common to all; everyone suffers equally.
Throughout life mortals form worldly bonds from which they never want to separate. However, nothing lasts for ever. Therefore, one should not act selfishly by trying to hold back that which is already gone. One must not grieve, for grieving does not bring peace of mind. It only brings more sorrow. To achieve peace of mind, one has to surrender all selfishness and completely overcome one’s sorrow. One who is able to do that will be blessed.

Question 12. How did Siddhartha Gautama become the Buddha? (CBSE Delhi 2012)
Answer: Siddhartha Gautama was born in a royal family. After he had completed his education, Prince Siddhartha married a princess and they had a son. Till about the age of twenty-five, the prince lived a charmed life as befitted royalty. During this time he was completely unaware of the sufferings of the world. One day, while he was out hunting, the prince came across, by chance, first a sick man, then an aged man, then a funeral procession and finally a monk begging for alms. Extremely moved by what he saw, Prince Siddhartha gave up his comfortable life and went out into the world. He sought enlightenment concerning the sorrows he had witnessed.
After wandering for seven years, Prince Siddhartha sat down under a peepal tree. He promised himself to sit under the same tree until he was enlightened. Seven days later, when he gained enlightenment, he renamed the tree the Bodhi Tree. He began to teach and share his newly acquired wisdom and understanding. At that point, he came to be known as the Buddha or the Enlightened One.

Question 13. Life is full of trials and tribulations. Kisa Gotami also passes through a period of grief in her life. How does she behave in those circumstances? What lesson does a reader learn from the story of her life? Give any two points on how you would like to act in the midst of adverse circumstances. (120–150 words) (CBSE Delhi 2013)
Answer: Life is full of trials and tribulations. Kisa Gotami also passes through a period of grief in her life when her son, her only child, dies. Like any mother grieving the loss of her child, Kisa Gotami too goes mad with sorrow and carries her son’s dead body to her neighbours asking them for medicine. This continues until someone takes pity on her and tells her to meet Sakyamuni, the Buddha. On meeting the Buddha and on being asked by him to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where the family has never lost a loved one, Kisa Gotami joyfully sets out in search of such a house. But soon she realises that death and suffering are common to all and that she is being blind and selfish in her grief.
The lesson to be learned from the story of Kisa Gotami’s life is that peace of mind cannot be obtained by grieving and acting selfishly. I would overcome my sorrows and surrender all selfishness. I would accept the fact that human life is mortal and that all of us have to suffer equally.

Question 14. What lesson did Kisa Gotami learn the second time that she had failed to learn the first time? (CBSE 2020)
Answer: Kisa learns her lesson the second time she goes out, to find mustard seeds from a house where no one has ever died. Death is natural and it comes to every living being. She understood that death and sorrow are inseparable. The life of a man is like an earthen pot that breaks and meets its end. No amount of weeping and lamenting can bring the dead back to life. Neither from weeping nor from grieving can anyone obtain peace of mind; on the contrary, his pain will only get worse and his body will suffer. He will only make himself pale and sick, yet the dead are never saved by his lamentation or grief. So, wise men don’t grieve. He who draws out the arrow of lamentation and becomes composed will get peace of mind. He who has overcome all sorrow will become free from sorrow, and be blessed.

Question 15. What lesson on death and suffering did the Buddha teach Kisa Gotami in the chapter ‘The Sermon at Benares’? (100–150 words) (CBSE 2020; 2018)
Answer: In ‘The Sermon at Benares’, when Kisa Gotami visited the Buddha begging the Enlightened One to revive her dead son, the Buddha sent Kisa Gotami to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a household where the family had never suffered the loss of a loved one. While searching for a family where no one had ever died, Kisa Gotami realised that such a household does not exist. She realised that death and suffering are common to all.
The Buddha said that the mortals’ life is brief and troubled, and combined with pain. Death is inevitable; everyone dies after reaching old age. The Buddha gives the examples of ripe fruits and earthen vessels. He explains that just as ripe fruits are in danger of falling early and earthen vessels of breaking, mortals too, whether foolish or wise, young or adult, are always in danger of death. Once a mortal dies, he or she cannot be saved or brought back from the dead. One might stop for a while and lament the loss of a loved one. However, life moves on. The wise, who know that the world is afflicted with pain, death and suffering, do not grieve. Grieving does not bring one peace of mind. It only brings more suffering and sorrow, and yet the dead do not return to the world. To seek peace, one must free oneself from all kinds of grief, complaint and lamentation. Only then can one truly be blessed.

Question 16. Describe the journey of Sidhartha Gautama becoming the Buddha. (Board Question)
Answer: Gautama Buddha began his life as a royal prince. He was named Siddhartha Gautama. At twelve, Gautama was sent away for schooling in the Hindu sacred scriptures. At the age of sixteen, he returned home to marry a princess. The prince was deliberately shielded from all sufferings of the world by his family. But this attempt was failed when the prince chanced upon a sick man while he was out hunting. Then, he saw a weak aged man and a funeral procession. Finally, he saw a monk, begging for alms. These sights of suffering, sickness and decay, shocked the prince. He wanted to seek the final solution of all these sorrows and sufferings. He wandered for seven years in search of enlightenment. Finally, he sat down under a fig tree. He meditated there until he was enlightened after seven days. He renamed the tree as the Bodhi Tree or the Tree of Wisdom. He then finally came to be known as the ‘Buddha’, the ‘Awakened’ or the Enlightened one. The Buddha gave his first sermon at Benares on the River Ganges.

Question 17. What lesson did Kisa Gotami learn the second time that she had failed to learn the first time? (Board Question)
Answer: Kisa Gotami understood that death is common to all and that she was being selfish in her grief. She understood this only the second time because it was then that she found that there was not a single house where somebody’s beloved had not died. At the first time, she was only thinking about her grief and was therefore, asking for a medicine that could bring back her son. At the second time, when she met Buddha, he asked her to get a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had ever died. He did this purposely to make her realise that there was not a single house where no beloved had ever died, and that death is natural. When she went to all the houses for the second time, she felt dejected that she could not gather the mustard seeds. Then, when she sat and thought about it, she realised that the fate of men is such that they live and die. Death is common to all. This was what Buddha had intended her to understand.

Question 18. What does the Buddha make Gotami understand and how?
Answer: When Kisa Gotami came to him looking for a medicine to bring her dead son back to life, Buddha realised that she did not understand the truth about life and death. If he would have lectured her that time she must have not understood the philosophy of life. So, he wished to practically teach her the truth about life the way he himself had learnt it. He sends her looking for mustard seeds from a house where no one has died. On not finding such a house, Gotami realises what Buddha was trying to make her understand. She understands that death is common to all and in her grief she was being selfish in believing that only she had to face such grief. She understands that to obtain peace, one has to accept death as part of our being.

Question 19. What lesson on death and suffering did the Buddha teach Gotami in the chapter, The Sermon at Benares? (Board Question)
Answer: In his sermon at Benares, Buddha taught Gotami that the life of mortals is brief, troubled and combined with pain. Death is common for all, it cannot be avoided. He compares human life to ripe fruits that eventually decay or as earthen vessels that will break someday. Neither a father nor his kinsmen can save anyone. Weeping or grieving cannot bring back the dead to life nor bring peace of mind but can only cause pain and suffering to the grieving body. One should accept death without lamentation and complaint and overcome sorrow and grief thus bringing peace of mind, which is a blessing.

Question 20. Through The Sermon at Benares, the Buddha preached that death is inevitable and we need to overcome the suffering and pain that follows. Based on your reading of the lesson, write how one should cope with the death of a loved one. (Board Question)
Answer: Everything we need to achieve has to undergo pain and suffering. We must let go of grief, sorrow and even the fear of death to step out into the world to achieve something. World is afflicted with death and decay, nothing is spared and no one can avoid it. If we fear or grieve over the death of our loved one, it will not lessen our sorrow nor will the person come back to life, in fact, we will end up spoiling our own health and lose our peace of mind. Surrendering selfishness and leading a virtuous life is the safest option.

Question 21. “The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain......” With this statement of the Buddha, find out the moral value that Kisa Gotami learnt after the death of her child. (Board Question)
Answer: Kisa Gotami learnt that death and suffering are the part and parcel of life. Nothing is everlasting and one has to accept this truth in the hour of grief. In order to detach themselves from the worldly life and the farsightedness to gain peace of mind one must remain calm and composed. Weeping and grieving does not bring peace of mind but only pain, which affects the body. People who are wise, never complain or lament over their loss. They accept the truth and are blessed with it. So, the wisdom lies in the fact that people should not get distressed with pain, suffering or death.

Question 22. Life is full of trials and tribulations. Kisa Gotami also passes through a period of grief in her life. How does she behave in those circumstances? What lesson does a reader learn from the story of her life ? Give any two points how you would like to act in the midst of adverse circumstances. (Board Question)
Answer: Kisa Gotami’s only son had died. Grief-stricken, she went about asking people for medicine to revive her dead son. At the behest of a man, she went to the Buddha who said he would cure her son only if she could gather some mustard seeds from a house where no death had ever occurred.
After knocking several doors and being unsuccessful, she realised that death was common to all and it could not be avoided. No one could save anyone, so, weeping over a dead soul was fruitless. It was wise to stop grieving and accept the truth.
Grieving over what is lost would only cause pain and suffering and doing that too, cannot bring one back to life. One must therefore accept life as it comes, be grateful and live it to the fullest with peace of mind and good health.