GSEB Class 10 English Solutions Chapter 10 The Sermon at Benares

Oral Comprehension Check (Textbook Page No. 106)

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: After her only son passed away, Kisa Gotami was overwhelmed with great sadness. She carried her son's lifeless body and visited many homes, requesting medicine to heal her child. However, no one could offer any remedy, as there is no medication that can restore a deceased person to life.
In simple words: Kisa Gotami was very sad when her son died. She carried his body around, asking for medicine, but no one could help because dead people cannot be brought back to life.

Exam Tip: When answering questions about a character's actions, always include their emotional state and the direct outcome of their actions, explaining why they succeeded or failed.

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: Gautama Buddha asked Kisa to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a household where death had never occurred. Kisa Gotami searched from door to door, but she could not find a single home where a loved one had not been taken by death. She could not get the seeds because death is unavoidable, and everyone who is born is destined to pass away one day.
In simple words: The Buddha told Kisa to get mustard seeds from a house where no one had ever died. She couldn't find such a house because everyone eventually dies.

Exam Tip: Pay close attention to instructions that involve specific conditions, such as "a house where death had never knocked," as these are often crucial to understanding the character's learning process.

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: After she failed to acquire a handful of mustard seeds from a home where death had never visited, Kisa Gotami sat by the roadside, feeling powerless. She observed the city's lights as they flickered and then went out. Eventually, darkness was everywhere. She comprehended that death is common to everyone and that her sadness was self-centered. Yes, this is what Buddha wished for her to grasp: that all who are born must eventually pass away.
In simple words: Kisa Gotami realized that death happens to everyone and her sorrow was selfish. Yes, the Buddha wanted her to learn that death is a part of life for all people.

Exam Tip: When a question asks about a character's realization, explain what they understood and how that understanding contrasts with their previous beliefs or actions.

Question 4. Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding? OR How did Buddha convey Kisa the truth of life and death? (March 20)
Answer: Initially, Kisa was filled with deep sorrow because she could not acquire a handful of mustard seeds from any home where death had not occurred. However, when she went from house to house for the second time, she began to realize that everyone was experiencing the loss of a loved one. There was not a single household in the town where a father, a mother, a sister, a brother, a son, or a daughter had not passed away. Everyone, at some point, has faced the death of their dear ones. Gautama Buddha assisted her in understanding all this by asking her to bring mustard seeds from a home untouched by death. This approach made her aware that death is a shared experience for all people.
In simple words: Kisa Gotami understood about death the second time because she saw that everyone had lost someone, not just her. The Buddha's task made her see that death is common to all.

Exam Tip: Focus on the transformative experience and the specific method (the mustard seed task) that led to Kisa Gotami's change in perspective. This shows how the Buddha's wisdom was practical.

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?
Answer: A selfish individual is someone who primarily focuses on their own needs and feelings. To some extent, Kisa Gotami was acting selfishly because, as humans, we naturally pass away, and it is difficult for us to accept the loss of those we love. The same situation occurred with Kisa Gotami. Since it was her only child, she did not wish for him to die and ultimately sought help from Buddha.
In simple words: Selfishness means only thinking about yourself. Kisa Gotami was partly selfish because she found it hard to accept her son's death, which is a natural human reaction.

Exam Tip: When asked for an opinion (e.g., "Do you agree?"), always provide a clear "yes" or "no" and then support your stance with reasons from the text.

Thinking about Language

Question 1. This text is written in an old-fashioned style, for it reports an incident more than two millennia old. Look for the following words and phrases in the text, and try to rephrase them in more current language, based on how you understand them.
(1) Give thee medicine for thy child
(2) Pray tell me
(3) Kisa repaired to the Buddha
(4) There was no house but someone had died in it
(5) Kinsmen
(6) Mark!
Answer:
(1) Provide medicine for your child
(2) Please inform me
(3) Kisa went to the Buddha
(4) There was no home where no one had passed away
(5) Relatives
(6) Pay attention!
In simple words: This task requires you to identify archaic phrases and then present them using simpler, modern words that convey the exact same meaning.

Exam Tip: When rephrasing, aim for clarity and directness. Focus on replacing older vocabulary with contemporary synonyms that fit the context naturally.

Question 2. Here is a sentence from the text that uses semicolons to combine clauses: 'For there is not any means by which those who have been born can avoid-dying; after reaching old age there is death; of such a nature are living beings.' Break up this sentence into three simple sentences. Can you then say which has a better rhythm when you read it, the single sentence using semicolons, or the three simple sentences?
Answer: The single sentence employing semicolons has a superior flow. This occurs because the three segments of the sentence are interconnected in their meanings. The second clause offers further details about the first clause. The third clause is directly linked to both the first and the second. Their meanings are better communicated when they are joined by semicolons.
In simple words: The sentence with semicolons sounds better because its parts are connected and flow together. Breaking it into three sentences would make it sound choppy and less connected.

Exam Tip: When analyzing sentence structure, consider how punctuation like semicolons helps to show relationships between ideas, making the writing more cohesive and rhythmic.

GSEB Class 10 English The Sermon at Benares Additional Important Questions and Answers

Read the following passages and select the most appropriate answers for the questions given below them:

Question 1. 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. 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; that sermon has been preserved and is given here. It reflects the Buddha's wisdom about one inscrutable kind of suffering.
1. The meaning of the word 'heretofore' in the extract means ..........?
(a) 'before'
(b) 'previously'
(c) 'earlier'
(d) All of the options
Answer: (d) All of the options
In simple words: 'Heretofore' means 'before now' or 'up to this point.' All the choices given have this same meaning.

Exam Tip: For vocabulary questions, read the word in context to understand its precise meaning. If multiple options are synonyms, and "All of the options" is an choice, consider it carefully.

2. Gautama Buddha became an ascetic ..........
(a) to show that he had lost his interest in his royal life.
(b) to seek enlightenment concerning the sorrows he had witnessed.
(c) to know the secrets of the world.
(d) to understand the reality of life.
Answer: (b) to seek enlightenment concerning the sorrows he had witnessed.
In simple words: Gautama Buddha became an ascetic because he wanted to find out why there was so much sadness in the world. He wanted to understand and solve the suffering he saw.

Exam Tip: When answering questions based on a passage, always refer back to the text to confirm the reason for a character's actions or a specific event.

3. Gautama became Buddha when he ...........
(a) sat under the Bodhi Tree.
(b) gave up all the luxuries of life.
(c) was awakened to the reality of the world.
(d) preached his first sermon at the city of Benares.
Answer: (d) preached his first sermon at the city of Benares.
In simple words: Gautama became the Buddha when he taught his first sermon in Benares, sharing his new understanding with people.

Exam Tip: Distinguish between the event of enlightenment (sitting under the Bodhi tree) and the moment he became known as "the Buddha" (when he began teaching and delivering sermons).

4. ............ reflects the Buddha's wisdom about one inscrutable kind of suffering.
(a) Buddha's 'awakening'
(b) Buddha's first sermon at the city of Benares
(c) Buddha's renunciation of royal life
(d) Buddha's vow to stay under the Bodhi Tree until enlightenment
Answer: (b) Buddha's first sermon at the city of Benares
In simple words: The Buddha's initial sermon in Benares really showed his deep knowledge about life's difficult problems and sorrows.

Exam Tip: Look for direct connections in the passage. The last sentence explicitly states that "that sermon has been preserved and is given here. It reflects the Buddha's wisdom."

Question 2. 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. Do not remind us of our deepest grief.” And there was no house but some beloved one had died in it. 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. And she thought to herself, “How selfish am I in my grief! Death is common to all; yet in this valley of desolation there is a path that leads him to immortality who has surrendered all selfishness.”
1. Kisa did not collect mustard seeds from any house because ..........
(a) they were broken.
(b) people insulted her while giving.
(c) no house was such where some beloved one had not died in it.
(d) None of the options
Answer: (c) no house was such where some beloved one had not died in it.
In simple words: Kisa could not get the mustard seeds because she could not find any home where no one had ever passed away.

Exam Tip: Read the question and options carefully. The key condition for collecting seeds was "from a house where no one had lost a child, husband, parent or friend."

2. Kisa became hopeless as ..........
(a) she could not collect the said mustard seeds.
(b) she felt for sure that she would not be able to bring her dead child back to life.
(c) Gautama Buddha ignored her.
(d) All of the options
Answer: (a) she could not collect the said mustard seeds.
In simple words: Kisa lost all hope because she was unable to gather the mustard seeds from any house that met the Buddha's specific condition.

Exam Tip: Her hopelessness stemmed directly from her failed mission to collect the seeds, which was the condition set by the Buddha. The failure of the task made her realize the impossibility of her wish.

3. What are men's lives compared to ?
(a) Their fate
(b) Lights of the city
(c) Death
(d) All of the options
Answer: (b) Lights of the city
In simple words: The lives of people are compared to the city lights that briefly appear and then go out.

Exam Tip: Identify metaphors and similes used in the passage. The text explicitly compares human lives to flickering and extinguished city lights.

4. For whom does a path lead to immortality?
(a) One who never thinks of death.
(b) One who never feels grief.
(c) One who has surrendered all selfishness.
(d) One who is used to live in the valley of desolation.
Answer: (c) One who has surrendered all selfishness.
In simple words: The passage says that a person who has given up all selfish thoughts and desires will find a way to live on forever.

Exam Tip: Locate the key sentence in the passage that provides the answer directly: "there is a path that leads him to immortality who has surrendered all selfishness.”

Answer the following questions in three to four sentences each:

Question 1. Why did Prince Siddhartha leave the palace and become an ascetic?
Answer: Prince Siddhartha, while on a hunting trip, saw a sick man, then an elderly man, then a burial procession, and finally a monk asking for donations. Observing these sights, he departed from the palace and became a renunciant to search for inner wisdom.
In simple words: Prince Siddhartha saw sick, old, and dead people, plus a beggar, which made him leave his home to find wisdom and understanding.

Exam Tip: When detailing reasons for a significant decision, list the key events or observations that triggered the action, as these often highlight the character's motivation.

Question 2. What do you know about the early life of Buddha?
Answer: Gautama Buddha was born into a royal household. His childhood name was Siddhartha. At the age of twelve, he was sent away for education in sacred Hindu texts, and four years subsequently, he was married to a princess.
In simple words: Gautama Buddha, named Siddhartha, was born into royalty. He studied Hindu scriptures from age 12 and later married a princess.

Exam Tip: For biographical questions, provide concise details about key life stages like birth, education, and significant events, keeping the answer factual and to the point.

Question 3. Where did Buddha preach his first sermon?
Answer: Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon in the city of Benares, which is considered the most sacred of the bathing sites on the Ganges river.
In simple words: Buddha's first sermon was in Benares, a very holy city by the Ganges River.

Exam Tip: Specific locations are crucial details in historical accounts; ensure you recall and state them accurately.

Question 4. How did Kisa Gotami realise that life and death is a process?
Answer: Kisa Gotami visited many homes but could not find a single one where no one had passed away. She became weary and disheartened and sat by the roadside, observing the city lights as they appeared and then vanished. She realized that, much like the city lights, human lives also illuminate for a period and then are extinguished.
In simple words: Kisa Gotami realized life and death are a cycle when she couldn't find a house without death, and saw city lights flicker and disappear, just like human lives.

Exam Tip: Connect the character's personal experience (searching for seeds) with the universal observation (flickering lights) to fully explain their realization.

Question 5. What was the effect of the sufferings of the world on Buddha?
Answer: At the age of twenty-five, while hunting, Buddha encountered a sick man, then an elderly man, then a funeral procession, and finally a monk begging for food. These events deeply affected him, prompting him to venture into the world to seek spiritual insight.
In simple words: Seeing suffering—a sick man, an old man, a funeral, and a beggar—deeply moved Buddha, making him leave home to find enlightenment.

Exam Tip: Highlight the direct impact of the world's sufferings on Buddha's actions and his subsequent spiritual quest.

Question 6. According to Kisa Gotami what is the greatest grief of life?
Answer: According to Kisa Gotami, the greatest sorrow in life is the passing of one's dear ones and one's inability to prevent their death. Therefore, instead of expressing sorrow, wise individuals should not grieve. Crying only intensifies the pain and disrupts a person's inner peace.
In simple words: Kisa Gotami believed that losing loved ones and not being able to stop their death is life's biggest sorrow. Wise people should not cry, as it only makes the pain worse.

Exam Tip: When attributing a statement to a character, ensure the answer accurately reflects their perspective as presented in the story.

Question 7. Why was Kisa Gotami sad? What did she do in her hour of grief?
Answer: Kisa Gotami was distraught over the demise of her only son. During her period of sorrow, she went from door to door, trying to locate medication for her son that could bring him back to life.
In simple words: Kisa Gotami was sad because her only son died. In her sorrow, she desperately went everywhere looking for medicine to revive him.

Exam Tip: Combine the reason for the emotion with the actions taken during that emotional state to provide a complete response.

Question 8. What did the Buddha do after he had attained enlightenment?
Answer: When Buddha achieved enlightenment, he began to deliver sermons and inform people about life and its true significance. He disseminated his teachings extensively so that individuals could accept the truth.
In simple words: After becoming enlightened, Buddha started teaching people about life's meaning. He shared his lessons widely so everyone could understand the truth.

Exam Tip: Focus on the immediate actions Buddha took post-enlightenment, particularly his role as a teacher and spiritual guide.

Answer the following question in five to six sentences each:

Question 1. What did Buddha say about death and suffering?
Answer: After gaining enlightenment, Buddha began sharing his teachings about existence, truth, and related concepts. He explained that death and suffering are inherent parts of life; no one can avoid this reality. Everyone is destined to reach their end one day. Whoever has entered the world will eventually pass away. During moments of sorrow, one must maintain calmness and composure so that grief does not overwhelm them. Wise individuals never lament or complain about their losses; they embrace the truth and are content with it. Therefore, wisdom lies in people not becoming distressed by pain, suffering, and death.
In simple words: Buddha taught that death and suffering are natural parts of life that everyone faces. He advised that during grief, one should stay calm and accept the truth, as wise people do not complain about loss.

Exam Tip: Summarize Buddha's core teachings on death and suffering, emphasizing acceptance, wisdom, and the inevitability of mortality, ensuring all key points from the text are included.

Grammar

Question 1. Rectify the errors in each of the following lines as shown in the example: (1) A twelve, he sent away for schooling in the Hindu sacred scriptures but four years latter he returned home to marry a princess. They have a son and lived for ten years as befitted royally. Example:
Answer:

Exam Tip: When correcting errors, always review the context of the sentence to ensure that the replacement word fits both grammatically and in meaning. Check for tense, part of speech, and appropriate conjunctions.

Question 2. Rectify the errors in each of the following lines as shown in the example: (2) Not from weeping nor from grief will someone obtain peace of mind; on the contrast, his pain will be the greatest and his body will suffer. He will be made himself sick and pale. Example:
Answer:

Exam Tip: Pay attention to subtle grammatical nuances like differentiating between nouns (grief) and their continuous forms (grieving), and selecting prepositions that correctly convey contrasting ideas (on the contrary).

Turn the following into Indirect speech:

Question 1. 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. And the girl said, “Pray tell me, sir; who is it?” And the man replied, “Go to Sakyamuni, the Buddha." Kisa Gotami repaired to the Buddha and cried, “Lord and Master, give me the medicine that will cure my boy."
Answer: Kisa Gotami met a man who replied to her request that he could not provide her medicine for her child but knew a healer who could. Kisa then humbly asked the man who that physician was. The man instructed her to visit Sakyamuni, the Buddha. Kisa Gotami then went to the Buddha and tearfully pleaded, addressing him as 'Lord and Master,' to give her the remedy that would heal her son.
In simple words: The man told Kisa he couldn't help but knew a doctor. Kisa asked who it was, and the man sent her to Buddha. Kisa then begged Buddha for medicine to save her boy.

Exam Tip: Remember to change pronouns, verb tenses, and time/place expressions when converting to indirect speech. Also, use reporting verbs like 'replied,' 'asked,' 'instructed,' and 'pleaded' to convey the speaker's original intent.

Question 2. She thought to herself, "How selfish am I in my grief!” The Buddha said, "The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain."
Answer: She reflected to herself that she was very self-centered in her sorrow. The Buddha stated that human life in this world is problematic, short, and filled with suffering.
In simple words: She realized she was very selfish in her sadness. The Buddha explained that life in this world is tough, short, and full of pain.

Exam Tip: When converting exclamatory sentences, turn them into assertive statements that reflect the emotion (e.g., "How selfish am I!" becomes "she was very selfish"). For universal truths or philosophical statements, the tense often remains the same.

Question 3. 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. Do not remind us of our deepest grief.”
Answer: The people felt compassion for her and offered her mustard seeds. However, when she inquired if a son or daughter, a father or mother, had passed away in their household, they responded sorrowfully that the living were few, but the deceased were numerous. They then requested her not to recall their profound sadness.
In simple words: People felt sorry and gave her mustard seeds. But when she asked if anyone in their family had died, they sadly said that few were alive and many were dead, asking her not to remind them of their deep sorrow.

Exam Tip: Remember to change direct questions into indirect questions using 'if' or 'whether,' and transform exclamations like "Alas!" into descriptive adverbs or phrases like "sorrowfully."

Rewrite as directed:

Question 1. (1) Gautama Buddha once went out into the world to seek enlightenment. (Use with a view to.)
Answer: (1) Gautama Buddha once went out into the world with a view to seeking enlightenment.
In simple words: Change "to seek enlightenment" to "with a view to seeking enlightenment."

Exam Tip: The phrase "with a view to" is always followed by a gerund (verb-ing). Ensure you replace the infinitive "to seek" with "seeking" after this phrase.

Question 2. (2) The sermon has been preserved. (Change the Voice.)
Answer: (2) They have preserved the sermon.
In simple words: Change the sentence from passive voice ("has been preserved") to active voice ("They have preserved").

Exam Tip: To change a passive voice sentence to active, identify the agent (who performed the action, even if implied by 'by someone/something'), make that the new subject, and adjust the verb form accordingly. If the agent is unknown, use a general pronoun like 'They' or 'Someone'.

Question 3. (3) And there was no house but some beloved one had died in it. (Turn into Affirmative.)
Answer: (3) Every house there had some beloved one had passed away in it.
In simple words: Rewrite the sentence to state the fact positively, rather than negatively, without changing its core meaning.

Exam Tip: To convert to affirmative, look for negative constructions like "no...but" and rephrase them using positive words like "every" or "all" while retaining the original sense.

Question 4. (4) How selfish am I in my grief! (Turn into Assertive.)
Answer: (4) I am really greatly selfish in my sorrow.
In simple words: Convert the exclamatory sentence into a simple, direct statement.

Exam Tip: An assertive sentence declares something directly. Remove the exclamation and rephrase the sentence as a straightforward statement, often using intensifiers like "very" or "greatly" to convey the original sentiment.

Question 5. (5) Those that have been born cannot avoid dying. (Turn into a Question.)
Answer: (5) Can those that have been born avoid passing away?
In simple words: Change the statement into a question.

Exam Tip: To form a question from an assertive sentence, you often need to invert the subject and a helping verb, or introduce a helping verb like 'Do,' 'Does,' or 'Can.' In this case, 'Can' is appropriate.

Question 6. (6) Both young and adult fall into power of death.(Use 'not only..............but also'.)
Answer: (6) Not only young but also adult fall into the power of death.
In simple words: Rewrite the sentence using the phrase "not only...but also" to show that both groups are affected.

Exam Tip: The construction "not only...but also" emphasizes that two elements are true. Ensure proper parallelism and grammatical agreement with both parts of the phrase.

Question 7. (7) Mortals when born are always in danger of death. (Turn into Simple.)
Answer: (7) Mortals at the time of their birth are always in danger of death.
In simple words: Simplify the sentence structure, making it more direct and concise.

Exam Tip: To simplify, look for phrases that can be replaced by a more direct construction or a single word, while retaining the original meaning. In this case, "when born" is rephrased for clarity.

Mijbil the Otter Summary in English

Mijbil the Otter Summary:

A sermon is a religious address delivered by a prophet or holy person. Here, we follow Gautama Buddha's journey from princehood to his spiritual existence. He departed from the palace at the age of twenty-five, after observing the world's hardships, to seek spiritual understanding. He journeyed for seven years, visiting various places, and finally, under a peepal tree at Bodhigaya, he found it. His initial sermon was delivered at Benares, as it was considered the most sacred location due to the Ganges river.

He believes that anyone who seeks inner peace should remove the burden of lamentation, complaints, and sorrow. A person who has overcome this burden will become calm and composed, and will achieve peace of mind; anyone who has conquered all such challenges will be free from sadness and be blessed.

Kisa Gotami

Kisa Gotami was grieving over the passing of her son. She traveled from house to house and eventually approached Buddha. She made a humble plea for him to bring her son back to life. Buddha agreed, but he requested a handful of mustard seeds. He further instructed that these seeds must be taken from a household where no one had lost a child, husband, parent, or friend.

She journeyed from home to home but could not locate one where no one had passed away. She grew weary and disheartened and sat by the roadside, observing the city lights as they flickered on and off. She then realized that these lives briefly appear and are then extinguished.

This experience taught her that the lives of mortals in this world are challenging and brief, and there is no method by which one can prevent death. Just as all clay pots made by the potter eventually break, so too is the life of mortals. Death is unavoidable.