L- 10 THE SERMON at BENARES

                THE SERMON At BENARAS

NCERT QUESTIONS

Q- 1  When her son dies Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for ? Does she get it ? Why not ?

Ans- Kisa Gotami had an only son, and he had died.  In her grief she goes from house to house,  asking if she could get  some medicine that can cure her son.

No, she does not get it because her child is dead and no medicine can cure her son.

Q -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 ?

Ans -  When she met the Buddha, he asked her to get a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one has lost a child , husband, parents or friend.

No, when Kisa Gotami went house to house but she could not get handful mustard seeds because there was not a single house where no one had died in the family.

Q - 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 ?

Ans -  Kisa Gotami  understand the second time that death is common to all and she thought that in her selfishness she forgot the reality of life.When she goes house to house, she found that there was no any house where any beloved had not died.

Yes, this was that the Buddha wanted her to  understand.

Q - 4 Why do you think Kisa Gotami understand this only the second time ?

In what way the Buddha change her understanding ?

Ans -  Kisa Gotami had an only son, and he died. In her grief he went to her neighbors to get medicines for her son. People only reacted that she has listed her senses.

But  when she went second time to get handful of seeds, she understand tha reality of, life that death is common to all and she realized her selfishness and her grief.She understood  this only the second time because it was then that she found that there was not a single house where any beloved had not died in the family.

First time when she went to people, she was only thinking about her grief and asked the people to give medicine to cure her son. Then she met Buddha, he asked her to get handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had died. Buddha sent  her purposely to make her realize that there was not a single house where no beloved had died.When she could not find any a house she became tired and hopeless.She set down and realized the fate of men, that their lives flickers up and are extinguished again. The flickering and extinguishing of light is like lives and death of man's life.

Death is common to all. This was what the Buddha had intended her to understand.

Q -5  How do you usually understand the idea  of 'selfishness' ? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being 'selfish in her grief ' ?

Ans - The mean of Selfishness is only considered with I, Me and Myself.When her son was died Kisa Gotami  was not  in the condition to think about the grief of other people. It is natural to feel sad over death of near and dear ones.

The wise people, who realized the reality of life they never behave selfishly, they carry on to their next responsibility of performing last rites of the dead.They know their further responsibility.If any one dies in a family the society always come to lament and share onse grief, but one by one mortals are carried off, like an ox that is led to the slaughter. But later on , life goes on.

Yes, Kisa Gomati was being selfish in her grief. She was so engrossed in her sorrow that she forgot to think about other a live members of the family and society.