The Sermon at Benares Long Answer Type Question

This page offers The Sermon at Benares long answer type question for Class 10 from the book First Flight. We’ve put together a bunch of long answer type question based on assumption, creativity, extrapolation and critical thinking. These types of questions are introduced after 2024 in CBSE Board. So, practice to understand The Sermon at Benares long answer type question

1. Question: How did the Buddha use Kisa Gotami’s situation to teach a lesson about life and death? Explain how this lesson can help people today. Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer- The Buddha used Kisa Gotami’s situation to teach about the reality of life and death. When Kisa Gotami’s son died, she was deeply sad and sought a way to bring him back to life. The Buddha asked her to find a mustard seed from a house where no one had died. As she searched, she discovered that every home had lost someone. This helped her understand that death is a universal experience.

This lesson helps people today by showing that grief and loss are common to everyone. Knowing others share this pain can bring comfort and help us accept death as a natural part of life.

2. Through the story of Kisa Gotami, what did the Buddha try to preach to the common man? Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer. The Buddha used Kisa Gotami’s story to teach about the inevitability of death. Kisa Gotami was a grieving mother who couldn’t accept her son’s death. She asked for medicine from everyone but was told to seek the Buddha.

He told her to find mustard seeds from a house where no one had died. When she couldn’t find such a house, she realised that death is a universal experience. The flickering city lights she watched symbolised how human lives also flicker and end. The Buddha’s lesson was that death is a natural and unavoidable part of life. Understanding this can help people accept their own grief and see they are not alone in their suffering.

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3. Question: Imagine you are a person living in a house Kisa Gotami visits. Describe your interaction with her and how it made you feel. Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer: If I were a person living in a house Kisa Gotami visited, I would feel deeply moved. When she came asking for a mustard seed from a house where no one had died, I would notice her grief and try to comfort her. I would explain that, like me, she would not find such a house because everyone faces loss.

Sharing my own experiences with her would make me feel a strong connection, as we both know the pain of losing loved ones. This interaction would remind me that grief is a common experience, and seeing her struggle would make me feel less alone in my own sorrow. It would highlight our shared humanity and the universal nature of suffering.

4. “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 learned after she was unable to get the mustard seeds.

Answer: Kisa Gotami lost her only son and was desperate to find a cure. A man told her to visit the Buddha, who asked her to bring mustard seeds from a house where no one had died. Kisa Gotami visited many houses but couldn’t find any such house, realising that every family had experienced loss.

Through this experience, she learned that life is filled with suffering and death is a universal reality. She understood that grief is part of the human condition and accepted that death affects everyone. This realisation helped her come to terms with her own loss and find peace.

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5. Question: What did Kisa Gotami learn about suffering and death from her experience, and how might this change her view of life? Answer in about 120 words.

Answer: Kisa Gotami learned that suffering and death cannot be avoided and affect everyone. As she looked for a house without death, she found that every family had lost someone. This showed her that death is something everyone experiences, not just her.

This realisation likely changed her view on life. Instead of feeling alone in her sadness, she saw that others also suffer and deal with loss. This understanding might have comforted her, knowing her pain was shared. It could also have made her more caring towards others, understanding that everyone has their own struggles. Accepting this would help her handle her own grief better and approach life with more empathy.

Q6. Describe the main teachings of the Buddha as highlighted in The Sermon at Benares.’ Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer. Before the age of twenty-five, Siddhartha Gautam lived a sheltered life. When he saw sickness, old age, and death for the first time, he was deeply shocked. He gave up his royal life to find a solution to suffering. After deep meditation, he reached enlightenment and became known as the Buddha or the Awakened One. In his first sermon at Benares, the Buddha taught that death is a universal truth. Everyone will face it eventually. No family is free from loss. He emphasised that grieving for the dead is pointless because it cannot bring them back. He taught that overcoming sorrow leads to freedom from suffering and brings true peace.

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7. Compare and contrast Kisa Gotami’s initial reaction to her son’s death with her feelings after completing the Buddha’s task. What changes do you notice? Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer: Initially, Kisa Gotami was overwhelmed with grief and denial. She sought to revive her son, asking everyone for medicine, unable to accept his death. Her sorrow was intense and personal. After completing the Buddha’s task of finding a mustard seed from a house untouched by death, her perspective changed. She discovered that every family had experienced loss, which helped her understand that death and suffering are universal. This realisation shifted her feelings from deep, isolated sadness to acceptance and peace. The main change is from focusing solely on her own pain to recognizing that loss is a common experience. This understanding helped her feel connected to others and find comfort in accepting her grief.

7: The Buddha said, “The world is affected by death and decay, therefore, the wise men 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.

Answer: The Buddha’s statement is still relevant today. He taught that death is a natural part of life and cannot be avoided. Just as ripe fruits fall from trees, human life has an end. Grieving and lamenting won’t change this fact or bring back the dead. Instead, accepting death as part of life helps to find peace and avoid further suffering. In today’s world, people often forget this and focus on material gains and comfort, ignoring that death is inevitable. Understanding and accepting this truth can help people live more peacefully and avoid unnecessary pain. By accepting the reality of death, one can focus on living a fulfilling life without being overwhelmed by grief.

8. Discuss the role of community in Kisa Gotami’s journey. How did her interactions with others help her understand the Buddha’s lesson?

Answer: The community played an important role in Kisa Gotami’s journey. After her son’s death, she asked neighbours for mustard seeds from homes where no one had died. Through her interactions, she learned that every family had experienced loss. This showed her that grief and death are universal experiences, not unique to her. Hearing others’ stories of loss helped her realise that suffering is a common part of life. This understanding of shared sorrow led her to grasp the Buddha’s lesson that life is impermanent and death is inevitable. The community’s experiences helped her accept her own grief and find peace.

9. Question: If you were Kisa Gotami, how would you have reacted to the Buddha’s request for the mustard seed? Do you think you would have learned the same lesson? Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer: If I were Kisa Gotami, I would feel hopeful and determined when the Buddha asked for a mustard seed from a house where no one had died. I would believe that finding the seed could bring my son back to life. As I visited different homes and heard about other families’ losses, I would start to see that death is something everyone experiences. This would help me understand that I am not alone in my grief. I think I would learn the same lesson as Kisa Gotami. I would realise that death is a natural part of life and that everyone faces loss. This understanding would help me accept my grief and find peace, knowing that my pain is shared by others.

10. Question: How can the lessons from Kisa Gotami’s story be applied to modern-day situations of grief and loss? Give examples of how people can find peace by understanding the universality of suffering. Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer: The lessons from Kisa Gotami’s story show that suffering and loss are part of life for everyone. In modern times, this understanding can help people find peace. For example, support groups for those who have lost loved ones allow people to share their grief and hear others’ experiences. This can make them feel less alone and more understood. Another example is community events, like memorial services, which bring people together to honour those who have passed. These gatherings show that loss affects everyone, helping individuals to feel connected and supported. By recognizing that others face similar struggles, people can find comfort and begin to heal from their own grief.

11. Question: How might Kisa Gotami’s new understanding of suffering change how she treats others? Think about how this could affect her empathy, compassion, and relationships. Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer: Kisa Gotami’s new understanding of suffering would make her more empathetic and compassionate toward others. Knowing that everyone faces loss and grief, she would approach people with greater kindness and patience. She would be more sensitive to their pain and more willing to offer support, having experienced similar struggles herself. Her relationships would likely grow stronger as she connects with others on a deeper emotional level. By sharing her own experiences and understanding, she could help others feel less alone in their grief. This new perspective would foster a sense of shared humanity, making her interactions more meaningful and supportive.

12. Question: How does Kisa Gotami’s journey illustrate the importance of empathy in dealing with personal loss? Reflect on how empathy can help individuals and communities heal. Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer: Kisa Gotami’s new understanding of suffering would likely change how she treats others. Knowing that everyone faces loss and grief, she would become kinder and more understanding. She would see that her own pain is shared by many, making her more patient and supportive.

This understanding would help her connect better with people. She would be more willing to listen and offer help, knowing how important it is to feel understood during hard times. Her relationships would improve as she would relate more deeply with others’ feelings. Her own experience with grief would help her support others through their own losses.

13. Question: Discuss the role of acceptance in Kisa Gotami’s story. How can accepting the reality of suffering and death bring peace to individuals facing similar situations? Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer: Kisa Gotami’s new understanding of suffering would change how she treats others. Knowing that everyone faces loss and grief, she would become kinder and more understanding. She would see that her own pain is shared by many, making her more patient and supportive.

14. Question: Reflect on the significance of understanding the universality of suffering. How can this perspective change one’s approach to life’s challenges and interactions with others? Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer: Understanding that everyone suffers is important. Realising that pain and loss are common experiences changes how we deal with our own challenges and how we interact with others.

Firstly, this perspective makes us feel less isolated. Knowing that others also face difficulties can make our own struggles easier to bear. It reminds us that suffering is a normal part of life.

Secondly, it encourages kindness. When we recognize that others go through similar hardships, we become more supportive and caring. We understand their pain better and respond with more empathy.

Finally, this awareness helps us tackle our problems with more resilience. It shows us that we are not alone and that overcoming difficulties is possible. This understanding gives us strength and hope.

15. Question: How does Kisa Gotami’s story change our view of personal grief and shared suffering? Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer: Kisa Gotami’s story changes how we view personal grief and shared suffering. In the beginning, her grief feels very personal and overwhelming, as she tries to find a way to bring her son back to life.

As she searches for a mustard seed from a house where no one has died, she learns that everyone experiences loss. This shows her that her grief is part of a common human experience.

Her journey helps us see that while personal grief is unique, knowing that others also suffer can bring comfort. Understanding this makes us feel less alone and more connected, helping us heal and accept our own pain.

16. Question: Consider the role of the Buddha as a teacher in Kisa Gotami’s story. How does his method of teaching through experience differ from traditional forms of instruction, and why is it effective? Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer: The Buddha’s role as a teacher in Kisa Gotami’s story is important. Instead of giving direct answers, he uses a unique teaching method by asking her to find a mustard seed from a house where no one has died.

This approach differs from traditional teaching because it involves Kisa Gotami in the learning process. As she goes from house to house and hears about other people’s losses, she discovers the lesson on her own: that death and suffering are universal.

This method is effective because it makes the lesson more personal and memorable. By experiencing the truth firsthand, Kisa Gotami learns deeply and finds acceptance and peace, which can be more impactful than just being told the lesson.

17. How did Buddha seek and achieve enlightenment? Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras. Answer in about 120 words. Chapter Sermon at Benaras.

Answer. Gautama saw a sick man, an old man, a funeral procession, and a begging monk during a hunting trip. These sights deeply saddened him. He decided to leave his royal life to find answers about these sorrows.

For seven years, he travelled and meditated. He then sat under a fig tree, later called the Buddha Tree. After meditating there for a week, he achieved enlightenment. This means he understood the true nature of life and suffering. Following his enlightenment, he began teaching others about his insights, sharing his wisdom with the world.