The following questions were asked in class 10 board exams by CBSE in the previous years. You should learn these questions to score better marks.
The Sermon at Benaras PYQs
1. What lesson did Kisa Gotami learn the second time that she had failed to learn the first time? (2020)
Initially, Kisa Gotami, grieving her son’s death, sought a way to bring him back to life. After Buddha’s guidance to find a household untouched by death, she realized that death is universal and inevitable. This understanding helped her accept her loss.
2. How did Kisa Gotami realize that life and death is a normal process? (2019)
Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to find mustard seeds from a house where no one had died. After searching and finding no such house, she understood that death is a natural part of life, affecting every family. This realization helped her accept the reality of mortality.
3. What lesson on death and suffering did the Buddha teach Kisa Gotami? (2018, 2020)
Buddha taught Kisa Gotami that death is a natural and inevitable part of life. He emphasized that understanding this truth can help individuals overcome sorrow and find peace, as mourning cannot change the reality of death.
4. How did the Buddha bring about a different perspective in Kisa Gotami’s understanding of life? (2021)
By asking Kisa Gotami to find a household untouched by death, Buddha led her to realize that death is a common experience. This shift in perspective helped her understand the universality of death and the importance of accepting it.
5. How can one obtain peace of mind, according to Buddha? (2021)
Buddha taught that accepting the inevitability of death and understanding that it is a natural part of life can lead to peace of mind. By letting go of attachments and desires, individuals can overcome sorrow and achieve tranquility.
6. What did the Buddha want Kisa Gotami to understand? (2015)
Buddha wanted Kisa Gotami to realize that death is a universal experience and that grieving cannot alter this reality. He aimed to teach her the importance of accepting the natural cycle of life and death to attain peace.
7. Why did Kisa Gotami go from house to house? (2015)
After her son’s death, Kisa Gotami went from house to house seeking medicine to revive him. She was desperate to find a cure and believed that someone might have a remedy to bring her son back to life.
8. What did the Buddha do after he had attained enlightenment? (2014)
After attaining enlightenment, Buddha began to teach others the path to overcome suffering. He delivered his first sermon at Benares, sharing his insights on the nature of life, death, and the way to attain peace.
9. How did the Buddha teach Kisa Gotami the truth of life? (2014)
Buddha guided Kisa Gotami to understand the inevitability of death by asking her to find mustard seeds from a household where no one had died. Through this task, she realized that death is a universal occurrence, leading to her enlightenment.
10. Why did the Buddha choose Benares to preach his first sermon? (2015)
Benares was considered a holy city and a center of learning. By delivering his first sermon there, Buddha aimed to reach a large audience seeking spiritual guidance, making it an ideal place to share his teachings on overcoming suffering.
Here are 10 important lines from “A Sermon at Benares” that contain key phrases and keywords from the lesson. Using these words in your answers will show a strong understanding of the chapter and may help you score better in exams:
- “The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain.”
- “As ripe fruits are early in danger of falling, so mortals when born are always in danger of death.”
- “Not from weeping nor from grieving will anyone obtain peace of mind.”
- “He who seeks peace should draw out the arrow of lamentation and complaint.”
- “No one can escape death; all beings that live must die.”
- “If one’s dear ones die, one cannot get them back by grieving.”
- “Kisa Gotami had only one son, and he died.”
- “Go and bring me a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one has lost a child, husband, parent, or friend.”
- “The world is afflicted with death and decay; therefore, the wise do not grieve.”
- “He who has overcome sorrow will be free from sorrow and be blessed.”
Top 10 Exam Lines for ‘The Sermon at Benaras’
- Life is full of suffering, and death is inevitable.
- Kisa Gotami lost her only son and sought Buddha’s help.
- Buddha asked her to bring mustard seeds from a house where no one had died.
- She could not find such a house, realizing that death is universal.
- Buddha taught that grieving cannot bring back the dead.
- Wise people accept death as a natural part of life.
- One should overcome sorrow to attain peace of mind.
- Attachment to worldly things leads to suffering.
- Freedom from sorrow comes through wisdom and self-control.
- Buddha’s teachings guide people toward enlightenment and peace.
These lines include Buddha’s teachings, Kisa Gotami’s realization, and key ideas about life and death. Try to use these lines naturally in your answers to impress the examiner.