CBSE Class 10 English First Flight The Sermon at Benares Notes

About This Chapter

The Sermon at Benares is an important prose lesson from the CBSE Class 10 English textbook First Flight, written by Betty Renshaw. It narrates the story of Siddhartha Gautama's journey from a sheltered prince to the enlightened Buddha, and presents the philosophical teaching he gave at Benares (Varanasi) to a grief-stricken mother named Kisa Gotami.

This chapter holds profound real-life relevance as it addresses one of the deepest human experiences - grief and the loss of a loved one. The parable of the mustard seed teaches a universal truth: death is inevitable and grief is a natural but temporary condition. This wisdom is relevant across all cultures and ages.

In CBSE Board Exams, this chapter typically appears in extract-based questions, short answer questions of 3 marks, and long answer questions of 5 marks. The parable of Kisa Gotami and the philosophical teachings of Buddha are frequently examined.

Students will develop the ability to analyze philosophical literature, understand moral lessons, and write meaningful answers about human values and universal truths.

What You Will Learn:

•         The life journey of Siddhartha Gautama and his enlightenment

•         The parable of Kisa Gotami and the mustard seed

•         The philosophical teachings of Buddha on grief and death

•         Key themes including impermanence, compassion, and wisdom

•         How to write analytical answers on this chapter for CBSE exams

A downloadable PDF of this study material is attached below for your convenience.

1. Introduction and Overview

The Sermon at Benares is written by Betty Renshaw. The chapter narrates the story of Siddhartha Gautama, who was born around 563 BCE in Lumbini (present-day Nepal) to a royal family. Sheltered from the harsh realities of life, he was shielded from sickness, age, and death by his father.

However, at the age of 25, Siddhartha witnessed the four sights: a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession, and a monk. These encounters prompted him to renounce his royal life and embark on a spiritual quest. After years of meditation under a pipal tree at Bodh Gaya, he attained enlightenment and became the Buddha (the Awakened One). He then delivered his first sermon at Benares (Varanasi), which is the subject of this chapter.

2. Key Concepts and Components

The Four Sights

•         A sick man - awakened awareness of illness

•         An aged man - awakened awareness of old age

•         A funeral procession - awakened awareness of death

•         A monk in meditation - showed the path of renunciation and peace

The Parable of Kisa Gotami

Kisa Gotami was a young mother whose baby had died. Devastated by grief, she carried the dead child and begged people for medicine to bring it back to life. People thought she was mad, but someone directed her to the Buddha.

The Buddha told her to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had died. Kisa Gotami went from house to house, but every family had lost someone. She realized that death is universal and that she was not alone in her grief. This realization brought her peace and acceptance.

Key Characters

•         Siddhartha Gautama / Buddha - The enlightened teacher who shows compassion through wisdom rather than false hope.

•         Kisa Gotami - A grief-stricken mother who learns the universal truth about death.

•         King Suddhodana - Siddhartha's father who tried to shield him from suffering.

3. Chapter Summary and Plot Analysis

The chapter begins with the background of Siddhartha's birth and royal upbringing. His father tried to prevent him from seeing the miseries of the world. Despite this, Siddhartha encountered suffering and chose the path of renunciation at the age of 25.

After years of deep meditation, he attained enlightenment and became the Buddha at Bodh Gaya. He then traveled to Benares and delivered his first sermon.

The central story of the chapter involves Kisa Gotami, whose infant son had died. In her grief, she sought a cure for his death. The Buddha asked her to bring mustard seeds from a home untouched by death. She visited many homes and found that every house had known death. This universal truth helped Kisa Gotami accept the loss of her son.

The Buddha's teaching, known as Dhamma, emphasized that grief arises from attachment and that accepting impermanence leads to peace. The chapter ends with the Buddha's sermon on the nature of life, sorrow, and liberation.

4. Themes and Literary Devices

Major Themes

•         Impermanence of Life - The Buddha teaches that death is an inescapable truth for all living beings.

•         Grief and Acceptance - Kisa Gotami's journey represents the human experience of grief and its ultimate resolution through wisdom.

•         Compassion and Wisdom - The Buddha's method of teaching through experience rather than words reflects his deep compassion.

•         Spiritual Journey - Siddhartha's transformation from a sheltered prince to an enlightened teacher is a story of spiritual growth.

Literary Devices

•         Parable - The story of Kisa Gotami and the mustard seeds is a parable with a deeper moral meaning.

•         Allusion - References to historical and religious facts about the life of the Buddha.

•         Metaphor - The mustard seed represents the universality of death and grief.

•         Contrast - Between Siddhartha's sheltered royal life and the suffering he discovers outside.

5. Important Vocabulary

•         Enlightenment - A state of spiritual understanding and wisdom.

•         Renounce - To formally give up or abandon something.

•         Sermon - A religious or moral lecture or discourse.

•         Impermanence - The state of not lasting forever.

•         Parable - A simple story used to illustrate a moral lesson.

•         Selfhood - The quality that makes a person an individual; identity.

6. Solved Examples

Example 1 - Extract-Based Question

Q: What did the Buddha ask Kisa Gotami to bring, and why?

A: The Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had ever died. The purpose was not to give her medicine but to help her realize, through her own experience, that death is universal. By going from house to house and finding that every family had experienced death, she came to understand that she was not alone in her grief and that death is an inescapable reality.

Example 2 - Short Answer

Q: What were the four sights that changed Siddhartha's life?

A: The four sights that changed Siddhartha's life were: a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession, and a monk in meditation. These encounters made him aware of the suffering that exists in the world and inspired him to seek the truth about life and death.

Example 3 - Short Answer

Q: Why did King Suddhodana shield Siddhartha from the outside world?

A: King Suddhodana shielded Siddhartha from the outside world because he wanted his son to live a life of luxury and eventually become a great king. He was afraid that exposure to suffering, illness, old age, and death would turn Siddhartha towards a spiritual path rather than a royal one.

Example 4 - Long Answer

Q: What lesson does the parable of Kisa Gotami teach? Discuss in detail.

A: The parable of Kisa Gotami teaches the profound lesson that death is universal and grief is a shared human experience. By asking Kisa Gotami to seek mustard seeds from a house untouched by death, the Buddha did not offer false hope. Instead, he helped her discover through direct experience that every household has known loss. This realization brought her out of her individual grief and connected her to the larger human condition. The parable teaches that acceptance of impermanence is the path to inner peace and that wisdom lies in understanding the natural order of life.

Example 5 - Long Answer

Q: Trace Siddhartha's journey from a prince to the Buddha.

A: Siddhartha Gautama was born in 563 BCE in a royal family. His father, King Suddhodana, kept him sheltered from the world's suffering. At the age of 25, Siddhartha encountered the four sights: a sick man, an aged man, a dead man, and a monk. These experiences shook him deeply and he chose to renounce his royal life. He spent years wandering and meditating. Finally, under a pipal tree at Bodh Gaya, he attained enlightenment and became the Buddha. He then delivered his first sermon at Benares, teaching humanity about suffering, its causes, and the path to liberation.

7. Common Mistakes and Exam Tips

•         Do not confuse Benares with Bodh Gaya - Siddhartha attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya and delivered the sermon at Benares.

•         Kisa Gotami sought mustard seeds, not any other medicine - be precise.

•         The Buddha's method was indirect - he taught through experience, not by directly telling Kisa Gotami the truth.

•         Remember the correct date - Siddhartha was born around 563 BCE.

•         In long answers, always connect the parable to the larger theme of universal suffering.

8. Practice Questions

1 Mark Questions (MCQ / Very Short Answer)

•         In which city did the Buddha deliver his first sermon?

•         What did the Buddha ask Kisa Gotami to bring?

•         What tree did Siddhartha meditate under to attain enlightenment?

•         What were the four sights Siddhartha witnessed?

•         Who wrote the chapter The Sermon at Benares?

•         What does the word 'Buddha' mean?

3 Mark Questions (Short Answer)

•         Why did King Suddhodana keep Siddhartha away from the outside world?

•         What is the moral lesson of the parable of Kisa Gotami?

•         What transformation did Siddhartha undergo after witnessing the four sights?

•         How does the Buddha show compassion towards Kisa Gotami?

•         Explain the significance of the mustard seeds in the parable.

5 Mark Questions (Long Answer)

•         Trace the life journey of Siddhartha Gautama from prince to Buddha with key events.

•         What are the main teachings of the Buddha in this chapter? How are they relevant today?

•         Describe the character of Kisa Gotami and how she changes over the course of the story.

•         What is the central message of The Sermon at Benares? Discuss with examples.

•         How does the author use the parable of Kisa Gotami to convey the theme of impermanence?