The Sermon at Benares– QUESTION AND ANSWER solution ( CLass 10 English ,first flight Chapter-8)
Page No 113 Thinking about the Text
Question 1When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?
Answer:
After her son died, Kisa Gotami went to different houses asking for medicine to make her child alive again.
She did not get any medicine because her son was already dead. No medicine could bring a dead person back to life.
Hindi Translation:
अपने बेटे की मृत्यु के बाद किसा गौतमी घर-घर जाकर ऐसी दवा माँगती रही जिससे उसका बच्चा फिर से जीवित हो जाए।
उसे कोई दवा नहीं मिली क्योंकि उसका बेटा मर चुका था। कोई भी दवा मृत व्यक्ति को जीवित नहीं कर सकती।
Question 2Kisa 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:
After meeting the Buddha, she asked for a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had ever died.
She did not get such mustard seeds because every house she visited had experienced the death of a family member.
Hindi Translation:
बुद्ध से मिलने के बाद वह ऐसे घर से मुट्ठी भर सरसों के दाने माँगने लगी जहाँ कभी किसी की मृत्यु न हुई हो।
उसे ऐसे दाने नहीं मिले क्योंकि हर घर में किसी न किसी की मृत्यु हो चुकी थी।
Question 3What 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:
The second time, she understood that death is a natural part of life and happens to everyone. Earlier, she was only thinking about her own sorrow. Yes, this is what the Buddha wanted her to realize.
Hindi Translation:
दूसरी बार उसे समझ आया कि मृत्यु जीवन का स्वाभाविक हिस्सा है और यह सभी के साथ होती है। पहले वह केवल अपने दुख के बारे में सोच रही थी। हाँ, बुद्ध यही समझाना चाहते थे।
Question 4Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding?
Answer:
At first, she was deeply shocked and unable to think clearly because of her grief. After visiting many houses and hearing about others’ losses, she realized that sorrow is shared by all. The Buddha helped her understand this truth through experience rather than by giving a direct lecture.
Hindi Translation:
शुरुआत में वह अपने दुख के कारण बहुत परेशान थी और साफ़ सोच नहीं पा रही थी। जब वह कई घरों में गई और दूसरों के दुख के बारे में सुना, तब उसे सच्चाई समझ आई कि दुख सबके जीवन का हिस्सा है। बुद्ध ने उसे समझाने के लिए अनुभव का मार्ग अपनाया।
Question 5How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being ‘selfish in her grief’?
Answer:
Selfishness means thinking only about oneself and not considering others.
Yes, Kisa Gotami was selfish in her grief at first. She was so lost in her own sorrow that she forgot that death is a part of everyone’s life. Later, she understood that many others were also suffering like her.
Hindi Translation:
स्वार्थ का अर्थ है केवल अपने बारे में सोचना और दूसरों की परवाह न करना।
हाँ, शुरुआत में किसा गौतमी अपने दुख में स्वार्थी थी। वह अपने ही शोक में इतनी डूबी हुई थी कि यह भूल गई कि मृत्यु सभी के जीवन का हिस्सा है। बाद में उसे समझ आया कि अन्य लोग भी उसी तरह दुख झेल रहे हैं।