CBSE Class 10 English The Sermon at Benares Worksheet

GIST
Sermon is a religious talk delivered by a prophet or Saint. Here we have the journey of Gautam Buddha from prince hood to his saintly life. He left the palace at the age of 25, after seeing the sufferings of the world, to seek enlightenment. He wandered for seven years, here and there, and under a peepal tree at Bodhgaya he got it. His first sermon was delivered at Benaras as it was considered to be the holiest place because of the river Ganga.

He thinks that he who seeks peace should draw out the arrow of lamentation, complaint and grief. He who has drawn out the arrow has become composed, and will obtain peace of mind; he who has overcome all such circumstances will be free from sorrow and be blessed.Kisa Gautami was grieving over the death of her son. She moved from door to door and at last came to Buddha. She made him a humble request to make her son alive. Buddha said he would do but he asked a handful of mustard seeds. He further commanded it must be taken from a house where no one had lost a child, husband, parent or friend.

She went from house to house but was unable to find one where nobody had died. She was tired and hopeless and sat down at the wayside watching the light of the city as they flickered up. And she realised that these lives flicker up for some time and are extinguished again.
This way she was taught that the lives of mortals in this world are troubled and brief and there is no means by which one can avoid deaths. As all earthen vessels made by the potter are being broken, so is the life of mortals. Death is inevitable.

DETAILED SUMMARY

Gautam Buddha was born in 563 B.C. He was born in a royal family. He was a prince. His name was Siddhartha Gautam. At the age of twelve, he was sent away for schooling. He studied all the sacred Hindu scriptures. He returned after four years. At the age of sixteen, he married a princess. They had a son. For ten years the couple passed a happy life. Siddhartha had been shielded from the suffering of the world. However, when he was twenty-five, Siddhartha saw a sick man, then an aged man, then a funeral procession. Finally, he came across a monk begging for alms. This was his first encounter with the harsh realities of life. These sights made him so sad that he decided to renounce the worldly pleasures. He left his family and became a beggar. He went out into the world to seek spiritual knowledge.

Siddhartha Gautama wandered for seven years in search of wisdom and truth. Finally, he sat down under a fig tree to meditate. He vowed to stay there until he got enlightenment. After seven days, Gautama got enlightenment. He named the tree as the ‘Bodhi Tree’. that is ‘The tree of wisdom’. He became known as ‘the Buddha’ which means ‘enlightened’ or ‘the awakened’. He began to teach and to spread his message of wisdom and truth. He became known as the Buddha (the enlightened). Buddha gave his first sermon at Benares. It is the holiest of places on the bank of the Ganges. His first sermon reflects his wisdom about one inscrutable kind of suffering i.e. death. Here, the Buddha tells about the universality of death which is inevitable and can’t be escaped.

A lady named Kisa Gotami had an only son. One day, her son died. She wanted her child should become alive again. She wanted some medicine to bring her son to ‘life. People called her mad. At last, she came across a man. He advised her to meet the Buddha. She approached Buddha with a request to give her medicine so that her only son could he live again. After deep thought, the Buddha asked her to bring a handful of mustard-seed. But there was a condition. She must bring it from a house where no one had died. Kisa Gotami went from door-to-door to get the mustard-seed. She found mustard: seed in every home but she could not find a home where nobody had died. By evening, she was sad and tired. She saw the lights of the city. Soon there was the darkness of the night. Now she considered the fate of man. Now she realised that death is inevitable. No one can escape it.

She came back to the Buddha and asked for his blessings. The Buddha in his sermon told her that our life is brief and painful. Everyone who takes birth has to die. The vessel made by the potter is not permanent. It has to break one day. In the same way, everyone has to die. Death spares none. A father cannot save his son. Everyone grieves when someone dear dies. But grieving cannot bring the dead back to life. So death and sufferings are unavoidable. The wise persons do not grieve as they know the truth. Weeping does not bring peace to the mind. On the other hand, a person’s pain becomes greater by grieving. His body also suffers. One who has learnt to control his grief shall have peace of mind. That person is blessed, who has overcome his sorrow. 

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

1.”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.”

Question. What does Buddha’s first sermon reflect?
Answer.Buddha’s wisdom about one inscrutable kind of suffering.

Question. Name the holiest of the dipping places on the River Ganges where the Buddha preached his first sermon.
Answer.Benares.

Question. How was he known as then?
Answer.As he started preaching, he was known as Buddha, meaning, the awakened or the enlightened one.

Question. What did Gautama do after getting on light emend?
Answer.After getting enlightenment, he began to teach and share his new understandings with the common people.

2. “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.”

Question. How many sons did Kisa Gotami have?
Answer.Only one.

Question. What message did she get from the flickering and extinguishing lights of the city?
Answer.Their lives flicker up and are extinguished.

Question. Why do you think Kisa Gotami became weary and hopeless?
Answer.it was because she could not find a house where no one had died.

Question. What did she notice while sitting at the wayside?
Answer.She noticed the flickering lights of the city.

3. At twelve, he was sent away for schooling in the Hindu sacred scriptures and years later he returned home to marry a princess. They had a son and lived for ten Y befitting royalty. At about the age of twenty-five, the prince heretofore shielded from sufferings of the world, while out hunting chanced upon a sick man, then an aged than a funeral procession, and finally a monk begging for alms. These sights so move that he at once became a beggar and went out into the world to seek enlighten concerning the sorrows he had witnessed.

Question. What happened when he was out hunting———-
Answer.He saw a sick man, then human image man and then a funeral procession

Question. When did he marry?
Answer.He married at the age en after completing his schooling.

Question. What happened at the age of twelve?
Answer.At twelve, he was sent away for schooling in the Hindi; sacred seen

Question. Where was he sent away for schooling?
Answer.He was sent away for Schooling in the Hindu sacred scriptures.

4. Buddha said, “The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain. For there is not any means by which those that have been born can avoid dying; after reaching old age there is death; of such a nature are living beings. As ripe fruits are early in danger of falling, so mortals, when born, are always in danger of death. As all earthen vessels made by the Potter end in being broken, so is the life of mortals. Both young and adult, both those who are fools and those who are wise, all fall. Into the power of death, all are subject to death.”
 

Question. What does a ripe fruit fear?
Answer.A ripe fruit fears the danger of falling.

Question. What, according to Buddha, death is avoidable?
Answer.There is not any means by which those that have been born, can avoid dying.

Question. What did the Buddha say about the life of the people?
Answer.The life of people is troubled and brief and combined with pain.

Question. What happens after reaching age?
Answer.There is death after birth.

5. 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.”

Question. Kisa Gotami thinks that she is selfish in her grief because.........
(a) she didn't realise that death was common to all and cared about her grief alone.
(b) she wanted the lights to burn all-night.
(c) she wanted to become immortal.
(d) it was dark and she wanted to go through the valley.
Answer. A

Question. Pick out the incorrect statements with regard to the extract.
(a) the lights of the city gave her the hope that man is immortal
(b) the lights flickered and extinguished reflecting the fate of men.
(c) she was tired after looking for a house ,where death has not happened
(d) no one can escape death by virtue of his/her birth
Answer. A

Question. Kisa developed the understanding that............
(a) there will be a death every time the city lights extinguish
(b) life is a full of happiness and devoid of pain
(c) death is common to all and that she was selfish in her grief
(d) darkness will not reign when lights continue burning
Answer. C

Question. Pick out the statement/statements that express Fact and opinion.
1 Death is common to all
2 Kisa Gotami should have understood that no one can escape death
3 Like lights flickering and getting extinguished, men's lives also glow and end in death.
4 Kisa Gotami should not have shared her grief with others
a F -1,2 O- 4
b F -1, 3 O-2, 4
c F-1 O-2, 3, 4
d F- 3, 2 O- 1, 4
Answer. B

Question. The word that is not a synonym for desolation ‘is...........
(a) Wildness
(b) isolation
(c) solitude
(d) gratitude
Answer. D

6. 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.

Question. The first sermon of Buddha is about...................
(a) how one can attain enlightenment
(b) about enjoying life as it is short.
(c) about a kind of suffering that is difficult to be understood
(d) how a person can attain immortality.
Answer. C

Question. Pick out a word from the extract which means 'impossible to understand'?
(a) Reflects
(b) Inscrutable
(c) Wisdom
(d) Preached
Answer. B

Question. Pick out the option which cannot be considered as a sermon
(a) We get into many difficulties, dissatisfaction with life and stunted spiritual growth the moment we deliberately go against the master’s will.
(b) In a life of uncertainty, we are encouraged as we walk by faith.
(c) Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man and writing an exact man
(d) We can achieve liberation from suffering through detachment
Answer. C

Question. The statement that does use the word reflect as used in the passage is
(a) She paused to reflect on what she had achieved
(b) I often reflect on my school days
(c) She raised her bracelet to the light to watch the colours reflect off
(d) You have to reflect on what he said
Answer. C

Question. The word that can replace the word preserve in the passage is ........................
(a) conserved
(b) rendere(d)
(c) delivere(d)
(d) detached
Answer. A

Multiple Choice Questions 

Question. What moved him to seek out enlightenment?
(a) A sick man
(b) An aged man
(c) A monk begging
(d) All of the above
Answer. D

Question. Where did he vow to stay until his enlightenment came?
(a) His palace
(b) Under peepal tree
(c) Under banyan tree
(d) Under a tree
Answer. B

Question. Which seed did Buddha ask Kisa to bring?
(a) Pumpkin seeds
(b) Mustard seeds
(c) Sunflower seeds
(d) Seesame seeds
Answer. B

Question. How did Kisa feel at first on being unable to find such seeds?
(a) Weary
(b) Hopeless
(c) Motivated
(d) Both A and B
Answer. D

Question. Both young and adults, fools and wise fall into the power of _____
(a) life
(b) death
(c) food
(d) all of these
Answer. B

Question. Siddhartha Gautama was sent for schooling at the age of................
(a) 12
(b) 7
(c) 11
(d) 5
Answer. A

Question. The word alms means...........
(a) money collected by begging from rich people.
(b) money or food, given to poor people.
(c) money stolen from people.
(d) family wealth
Answer. B

Question. Siddhartha Gautama went to seek enlightenment............
(a) in order to get more wealth to make his kingdom better.
(b) in order to become a saint so that he could help people.
(c) as he was concerned about the sorrow and misery he witnesse(d)
(d) as he wanted to help his kingdom abolish poverty.
Answer. C

Question. Siddhartha Gautama sat for enlightenment................
(a) in the outskirts of the kingdom.
(b) under the tree that he found after 7 days of travel.
(c) on top of a heavy rock that was difficult to clim(b)
(d) under a peepal tree
Answer. D

Question. Siddhartha Gautama took .................. days to gain enlightenment.
(a) 14 days
(b) 9 days
(c) 11 days
(d) 7 days
Answer. D

Question. The name Siddhartha Gautama gave to the tree, where he got enlightenment was............
(a) Great Tree
(b) The Enlightened Tree
(c) The Bodhi tree
(d) The Budha Tree
Answer. C

Question. The word Buddha means............................
(a) saint
(b) enlightened/awakened
(c) wicked
(d) blessed by God
Answer. B

Question. Buddha preached his first sermon at?
(a) Benares
(b) Bennur
(c) Bannarghatta
(d) Bodh Gaya
Answer. A

Question. The river that flows near Benares is...........
(a) Godavari
(b) Ganges
(c) Kaveri
(d) Brahmaputra
Answer. B

Question. The death of her ............ made Kisa Gotami sorrowful
(a) neighbour’s
(b) Son
(c) Father
(d) Dearest one
Answer. B

Question. Kisa Gotami asked for medicine.............
(a) to cure her deaf son
(b) to cure her suffering
(c) to cure her dead son
(d) to make everyone believe that she is caring
Answer. C

Short Answer Questions :

Question. What did Buddha say about the mortals of the world?
Answer. The Buddha told Kisa Gotami that the life of mortals is troubled and brief in this world. Those who have been born can’t avoid dying. As ripe fruits are in danger of falling, so mortals are always in danger of death. All earthen vessels end in being broken.

Question. Why did Kisa Gotami say, ‘How selfish am I in my grief!’ What did she realise about the fate of mankind?
Answer. Kisa Gotami became weary and hopeless. At last, the darkness of the night reigned everywhere.She realised that she had been very selfish in her grief Death spares none. One who is born is destined to die sooner or later. No grieving or lamenting would bring a dead man to life.

Question. Did Kisa Gotami get a handful of mustard seeds as directed by the Buddha?
Answer. Poor Kisa Gotami went from house to house. The people pitied her and were ready to give a handful of mustard seeds to her. But, she couldn’t find a house where no one had lost a child,husband, parent or friend.

Question. Who was Gautam Buddha? Write a few lines about his early life.
Answer. Gautam Buddha was a prince. He was named Siddhartha Gautam by his parents. He was born in 563 B.C. in North India. He was sent away for schooling when he was twelve years old but four years later, he got married to a princess. 

Question. When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?
Answer. Kisa Gotami’s only son dies. She almost becomes mad in grief. She goes from house to house asking for a medicine that can ‘cure’ her dead son. No, she doesn’t get such a medicine. No medicine can bring a dead person to life.

Question. Describe the early life of Gautama Buddha.
Answer. Gautama Buddha began life as a prince. He was named Siddhartha Gautama. He was sent away for schooling in the Hindu sacred scriptures at twelve. When he returned home, he was married to a princess. He lived in royal luxury, shielded from the sufferings up to the age of twenty-five.

Question. What did Kisa Gotami do when her only son died? What did her neighbours think about her?
Answer. Kisa Gautami’s only son had died. She was overwhelmed with grief. She carried the dead child to all her neighbours. She asked them for medicine to cure her son. The neighbours thought she had lost her senses. A dead child could never be cured.

Question. What did Buddha say about the mortals of the world?
Answer. The Buddha said to Kisa Gotami that the life of mortals is troubled and brief in this world. Those who have been born can’t avoid dying. As ripe fruits are in danger of falling, so mortals are always in danger of death. All earthen vessels end in being broken.

Question. How did Kisa Gotami realise that life and death is a normal process? 
Answer. Kisa found no house where some beloved had not died. She understood that death is common to all. So, she was being selfish in her grief.

Short Answer Type Questions-II 

Question. 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. For the first time, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house asking for a medicine that can cure her dead son. She is told that no medicine can make a dead person alive. The second time she understands what the Buddha wanted her to understand. She understands that death is common to all, and no lamentation or grieving will make a dead person alive.

Question. How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being ‘selfish in her grief’?
Answer. One is selfish when he or she thinks only for himself or herself. One becomes subjective forgetting the universal truth. Kisa Gotami was selfish in grief. She forgot that all mortals are destined to die. Weeping for her dead son would not bring him back to life. No medicine or lamentation would bring a dead person back to life.

Question. What were the sights that moved and shocked Gautama?
Answer. Prince Gautama had been deliberately shielded from all the sufferings of the world. One day, he chanced upon a sick man, then an aged man, and then a funeral procession. Finally, he saw a monk begging for alms. These sights moved him. He went out into the world to seek solution of all these sufferings. He wanted to seek enlightenment.

Question. How did Kisa Gotami go to the Buddha? What did Buddha ask Gotami to do?
Answer. A man advised Kisa Gotami to go to Sakyamuni, the Buddha. He was the physician who could cure her dead son. She went to the Buddha. He asked Kisa Gotami to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house. The house must be such where no one had lost a child, husband, parent or friend.
 

Question. Elucidate any one quality that Siddhartha demonstrated when he gave up his status and family. Explain your choice.
Answer. By giving up his status and family. Siddhartha demonstrated a quality of selflessness He was bom as a prince into a royal family but he gave all that riches and worldly pleasures in order to seek enlightenment to understand the causes of sorrows and sufferings of human life.
 

Question. When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What was the result?
Answer. When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house asking for medicine to cure her son. She does not get any because there is no medicine to bring back a dead person to life.
 

Question. The Buddha renounced his worldly life to attain enlightenment. How might the sermon at Benares have helped Siddhartha Gautama’s wife if she had heard it?
Answer. If Siddhartha Gautama's wife had heard his sermon at Benares she might have too renounced her worldly life and joined her husband to attain enlightenment! She would have also understood that real peace comes when a person rises above the worldly pleasures of life.
 

Question. How can death be considered an equaliser?
Answer. Death is certainly- an equalizer as it creates a balance of life. New lives start on earth only after the old lives are gone. If mortals won't die, there will be no place far new lives. Moreover a person gets new Life after leaving the old one. So, death is required to keep the circle of life going.
 

Question. How did Kisa Gotami realize that Life and death is a normal process?
Answer. Kisa Gotami realized that life and death is a normal process after Buddha asked her to get a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no Loved one had ever died When she went to all the houses, she realized that there is no one in the world whose dear ones hadn't died. Death is common to all
 

Question. Who, according to Buddha, will obtain peace?
Answer. According to Buddha, one who seeks peace should draw out the arrows of Lamentation, complaint and grief from one’s heart He, who has become composed, will finally obtain peace of mind.
 

Question. Do you think being enlightened placed a far greater responsibility on the Buddha than being king would have? Justify your stance.
Answer. Yes. 1 think that being enlightened placed a far greater responsibility on the Buddha than being lang would have because after attaining enlightenment, it was Buddha's responsibility to guide people on the right path. He was supposed to teach people about the real aim of Life and death as a monk

Question. Why did Kisa Gotami say, ‘How selfish am I in my grief!’ What did she realise about the fate of mankind?
Answer. Kisa Gotami became weary and hopeless. At last, the darkness of the night reigned everywhere.She realised that she had been very selfish in her grief. Death spares none. One who is born is destined to die sooner or later. No grieving or lamenting would bring a dead person to life.

Question. What did the Buddha want Kisa Gotami to understand?
Answer. The Buddha wanted Kisa Gotami to understand that all men and women are mortals. And all mortals are destined to die. No lamentation and grieving can bring a dead person back to life.Therefore, she should stop lamenting and grieving on the death of her son. Overcoming the sorrows makes a person free from sorrows.

Long Answer Questions :

Question. Describe the journey of Siddhartha Gautam becoming the Buddha.
Answer.Gautam 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. But this attempt failed when the prince while out hunting chanced upon a sick man. Then, he saw an aged man. He also chanced to see a funeral procession. Finally, he saw a monk, begging for alms. These sights of suffering, sickness and decay shocked and moved 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 the Bodhi Tree or the Tree of Wisdom. He became known as the Buddha or the Awakened or the enlightened one. The Buddha gave his first sermon at Benares on the River Ganges.

Question. Why did Kisa Gotami understand the message given by the Buddha only the second time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding?
Answer. Kisa Gotami had lost her only son and in grief, she carried her dead son to all her neighbours to get him cured and restored back to life. Finally, she went to the Buddha asking him for medicine to cure her boy. The Buddha felt that she needed to be enlightened about the truth of life — that death and sorrow are inescapable. He could see that grief had blinded her, and it would be difficult for her to accept the truth. So the Buddha told her to procure mustard seeds from a house where none had died. Kisa Gotami went from door to door. Then she realized that there was no house where no one had died and that death is common to all. She came back to the Buddha where He sermonized her that life in this world is troubled and filled with sorrows. He gave her examples of ripe fruits and earthen vessels whose ‘lives’ are short. This way he made her realize that death is unavoidable and none — even the near and dear ones — can save anyone from death.

Question. “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 values that Kisa Gotami learnt after the death of her child.
Answer. After the death of her only son, Kisa Gotami went to the Buddha. Firstly, she went to every neighbour, asking for medicine for her dead son. She had lost all her senses. She forgot that no medicine could bring back the dead. Then she went to Buddha for making her son alive. Buddha asked her to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no death had occur. But she couldn’t find such a house. The Buddha made her realise that death is common to all. It also shows the detachment from mundane life. Only grieving cannot bring peace of mind.

Question. What does the Buddha say about the life of mortals in this world? How can one obtain the peace of the mind?
Answer. The Buddha preached his first sermon at Benares. He preached that all men, women and children are mortals. And, all mortals are destined to die. Actually, death and decay is the fate of all mortals in this world. Death spares none. The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief. It is combined with pain. Those who have been born, can’t avoid dying. Actually, there is no means of avoiding death and decay. The ripe fruits fall, so do the aged people of the world. One by one the mortals are carried off, like an ox that is led to the slaughter. Therefore, the wise do not grieve. No amount of lamenting or grieving can bring a dead man back to life. Weeping and grieving will never give anyone the peace of mind. On the other hand, they only compound miseries. He who has overcome all sorrows will become free from sorrows. He will become the blessed one.
 

Question. 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 haw you would Like to act in the midst of adverse circumstances.
Answer. Kisa Gotamfs 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 taken place
After knocking severaL doors and being unsuccessful she realised that death was common to all and it could not be avoided. No one can 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 more pain and suffering and even then, cannot bring one back to life. Accept Life as it comes, be grateful and Live rt to the fullest with peace of mind and good health.
 

Question. In the story "The Sermon at Benares*. Kisa Gotami runs from house to house in search of a medicine for her dead child.
Imagine yourself as the writer of the story and write an imaginary conversation Kisa Gotami had with a Lady of the house that Kisa went to ask for the medicine.
Answer. Kisa Gotami: (anxiously) Is anybody at home? 
Please help me!
Lady: Oh dead Who are you? And what do you need?
Kisa Gotami: My son is dead—.he is my onLy child. I need a medicine to cure him and bring him back to life. Please help me!
Lady: I am so sorry to hear about your loss.
Lady. I wish I could help you but alas! No one can help you in this. Your son is no more. Please accept this harsh reality and have patience. No
medicine can bring him back, dear.
Kisa Gotami: (crying) Nooooo—he will be alright if someone gives me the medicine to cure him. TelL me if you have else I may ask other people. I don’t have a Lot of time.
Lady: I am sorry. I can't help you. dear!
 

Question. In the story ‘The Sermon at Benares*, a man tells Kisa Gotami to go to Buddha for helping her bring her dead son back to life.
Imagine yourself as the writer of the story and write on imaginary conversation between Kisa Gotami and the man.
Answer. Kisa Gotami: (anxiously) Please help me. My son is not responding. People are saying that he is dead. I don't believe this.
That cannot happen. Give me a medicine to cure him.
Man: Oh dear Lady! ReLox. Calm down. People ore right Your son is really dead and now no medicine can cure him or bring him back to Life.
It is a harsh reality af Life.
Kisa Gotami: (s/ireifcing) Noodoo_.I can't accept it This is not true.
Man: In that cose, only one person can help you. Lord Buddha. He has a cure for everything.
Go to him He might help you, dear!
 

Question. "Buddha wandered aimlessly for seven years in search of enlightenment ’ Comment on how Buddha attained enlightenment. What did his first sermon reflect?
Answer. Siddhartha Gautama wandered oknlessiy for seven years in search of enlightenment Finally one day, he sat under a peepal tree and after meditating for seven days, he attained enlightenment The peepal tree come to known as "Bodhi Tree', the tree of wisdom After achieving enlightenment Siddhartha came to be known as 'Gautama Buddha'. He started giving sermons and spiritual wisdom to peopLe. He gave his first sermon in the city of Benares, to a lady named Kisa GotamL His sermon reflected his wisdom about Life and death.

Question. Describe the journey of Siddhartha Gautama becoming the Buddha.
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. But this attempt failed when the prince while out hunting, chanced upon a sick man. Then, he saw an aged man. He also chanced to see a funeral procession. Finally, he saw a monk begging for alms. These sights of suffering, sickness and decay shocked and moved 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 the Bodhi Tree or the Tree of Wisdom. He became known as the Buddha or the Awakened or the Enlightened one. The Buddha gave his first sermon at Benares on the River Ganges.

Question. What did the Buddha ask Kisa Gotami to do? Why couldn’t Kisa Gotami succeed in getting a handful of mustard seeds from any family?
Answer. Kisa Gotami couldn’t get any consolation and cure from her neighbours. They realised that grief had made her almost mad. One of them directed her to the Buddha. He thought only the Sakyamuni, the Buddha was the most appropriate physician to cure her son. The Buddha wanted the grieving woman to learn a lesson. So, he asked her to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a family. The mustard-seed must be taken from a house where no one had lost a child, a husband or a friend. Poor Gotami went from house to house begging for a handful of mustard seeds. The people pitied her. They were ready to give a handful of mustard seeds to her. In short, there was no house where some beloved one had not died in it. So, Kisa Gotami didn’t succeed in her mission. She only realised that she had been selfish in grief.