Class 10 English - RAJASTHAN
Prose: The Sermon at Benares
The Sermon at Benares is a poignant chapter in Class 10 English focusing on Gautama Buddha's life and his profound realization about human suffering and mortality. The story follows Kisa Gotami, a grieving mother who loses her only son and desperately searches for a medicine to bring him back to life. Buddha asks her to procure a handful of mustard seed from a house where no one has ever died, teaching her that death is an inevitable truth of life. For Rajasthan (RBSE) board exams, this chapter is crucial as it tests students' understanding of empathy, grief, and philosophical themes through textual and value-based questions.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Early Life of Gautama Buddha
Originally named Siddhartha Gautama, he was a prince who lived a sheltered life of luxury until he encountered the sufferings of the world—an old man, a sick man, a funeral procession, and a monk begging.
The Quest for Enlightenment
Moved by human suffering, Siddhartha left his royal family and luxurious life at age twenty-five to wander in search of enlightenment and truth, eventually attaining it under a peepal tree.
The Story of Kisa Gotami
Kisa Gotami's son died, and unable to accept the loss, she went door to door asking for medicine, until Buddha instructed her to find mustard seeds from a home untouched by death.
The Inevitability of Death
Through the mustard seed task, Kisa Gotami realized that death is common to all mortals and no father can save his son, nor kin their relatives, leading her to find inner peace.
Wisdom of the Wise
Buddha taught that the world is afflicted with death and decay, and the wise do not grieve because they understand the ultimate nature of the world.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Rajasthan (RBSE) Class 10 English board examination, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Questions often include short-answer type questions about Kisa Gotami's journey, long-answer questions analyzing Buddha's teachings on grief, and extract-based reading comprehension questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Buddha ask Kisa Gotami to do to prove her son could live again?
Buddha asked her to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where death had never visited.
What was the ultimate lesson Kisa Gotami learned from Buddha?
She learned that death is universal and inevitable, and one must accept this truth to overcome grief and find peace.
Why did Siddhartha Gautama leave his palace?
He left his royal life after seeing human suffering such as old age, sickness, and death, which deeply moved him to search for spiritual truth.
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