Sermon at Benaras
Important questions for board examination.
Answer following questions in about 100 to 150 words.
Q) Describe the journey of Siddhartha Gautama becoming
the Buddha.
OR
Q) When Siddhartha saw a sick man, an aged men, a funeral
procession and a monk, he left his home and go out in search of enlightenment.
What lesson about life do we learn from this episode?
Ans) Siddharth Gautam was born in a royal family. He lived a
luxurious life. At the age of twelve he was send for learning sacred Hindu scriptures.
After four years he returned back. He was married and lived a happy life for ten
years.
One day, while going for hunting, he saw he a sick man, an
old age person, a funeral procession and then a monk. Before it, he was unaware
of the harsh reality of the life. The miserable conditions of man impacted him so
much that he left home in search of answers to mysteries of life.
He wandered for seven years. Finally he sat under a Peeple
tree and resolved to find the answers. After deep meditation of seven days he
got Enlightenment. He understood the cause of misery and the path of peace and
contentment.
Q) “The life of mortals in this world is troubled and
brief and combined with pain…” with this statement of the Buddha, find out what
Kisa Gotami learnt after the death of her child?
Ans) Kisa Gotami was deeply stirred by the death of her only
son. She was filled with grief and sorrow. She carried dead body of her son from
one house to another and begged for some medicine that would make him alive. Someone
suggested her to visit Shakyamuni Gautam Buddha.
Buddha understood her
problem and asked her to bring a fistful mustered seeds from a home where no one
had died ever. She ran house to house. Many were ready to give her mustered seeds
but they could not fulfil the conditions of Buddha. Every family had lost their
loved ones.
Kisa Gotami realised that death is inevitable. We must accept
it as a law of nature. One who raise above the sorrow would win over it.
Q) According to Buddha what is the truth of life? How
should a wise man behave in times of difficulty or mishappenings?
Ans) The life in this world is troubled and brief and
combined with pain. We should be conscious to the fact that we are mortal. Death
is inevitable. It cannot be deferred. We
must accept it as the ultimate truth of life. Peace lies in understanding and accepting the terms of
the life.
One cannot be consoled by grieving. Rather sufferings would
become greater. No one can escape sufferings and death. Mourning cannot
mitigate our pain it would rather magnify it. We should not fell in the pit of
sorrowful emotions. One who overcomes his sorrow would raise above it.
Wise men behave calmly
in the time of difficulty and mishappenings. They knew suffering and death are
the realities of life. There is no point in sorrow or lamentation.
More questions for practice.
Q) Explain in your own words the theme of the lesson. How
can one attain peace?
Q) Gautam Buddha helped Kisa Gotami by his kind words and guidance. A timely help and sympathy is a great support for those who are in grief. How are kindness and sympathy important in a peaceful and joyful life?