Class 10 English - UP
Prose: The Sermon at Benares
The Sermon at Benares is a poignant prose piece from the Class 10 English First Flight textbook prescribed by the Uttar Pradesh (UPMSP) board. It narrates the life of Gautama Buddha, who, deeply moved by the world's suffering, sets out to find enlightenment. The chapter highlights his first sermon delivered at Benares to Kisa Gotami, a grieving mother. Through a handful of mustard seeds, Buddha teaches her the universal and inescapable truth of human mortality: death is common to all mortals and grief cannot bring back the dead. For board exams, this chapter is crucial for testing comprehension, character analysis, and philosophical themes of acceptance and peace.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Early Life of Siddhartha Gautama
Siddhartha was born a prince, shielded from all the sufferings of the world, but upon witnessing a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession, and a monk begging, he renounced his royalty at age twenty-five to seek enlightenment.
The Quest for Enlightenment
After wandering for seven years, Siddhartha sat under a peepal tree until he attained enlightenment after seven days, renaming himself the Buddha (the Awakened or the Enlightened).
The Sermon at Benares
Buddha's first sermon was preached at the holy city of Benares, on the river Ganges, which is regarded as most sacred, outlining the core of his teachings regarding suffering and peace.
Kisa Gotami's Grief
Kisa Gotami lost her only son and went from house to house asking for medicine to revive him, eventually meeting the Buddha who gave her a practical test to realize the reality of death.
The Mustard Seed Lesson
Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no death had ever occurred, making her realize that death is universal and she was being selfish in her grief.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Uttar Pradesh (UPMSP) Class 10 English examination, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Common question types include short answer questions based on Kisa Gotami's plight or Buddha's teachings, long answer questions about the central theme or character sketch of Kisa Gotami, and extract-based Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the profound lesson Buddha gave through the mustard seed?
Buddha taught that death is an inevitable reality of life, and no one can escape it. Just as ripe fruits are early liable to fall, so mortals when born are always in danger of death.
Why did Kisa Gotami go from house to house?
She went from house to house searching for medicine that could bring her dead son back to life, blinded by her grief and inability to accept his death.
What does peace of mind mean according to the chapter?
According to Buddha, true peace of mind comes only to those who have overcome all sorrow by realizing the transient nature of life and accepting that grieving cannot save the dead.
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