ENGLISH CLASS- 10
CHAPTER-8
(The Sermon at Benares)
The Sermon at Benares
1. When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?
When Kisa Gotami's only son dies, she goes from house to house asking for medicine that could bring her dead child back to life. She is overwhelmed by grief and refuses to accept that her son is dead.
No, she does not get the medicine she seeks. The people she meets sympathize with her, but they know that no medicine can revive a dead person. Therefore, her search remains unsuccessful.
2. Kisa 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?
After meeting the Buddha, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house asking for a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had ever died.
Although she receives offers of mustard seeds from many households, she does not find a single house where death has never occurred. Every family has lost a parent, child, relative, or friend at some point. Therefore, she does not get the mustard seeds under the condition set by the Buddha.
3. What does Kisa Gotami understand the second time that she failed to understand the first time? Was this what the Buddha wanted her to understand?
The second time, Kisa Gotami understands that death is a universal truth and that no family is free from sorrow and loss. She realizes that her grief is not unique and that every human being must face death sooner or later.
Yes, this is exactly what the Buddha wanted her to understand. Instead of directly preaching to her, he helped her discover the truth through her own experience. By doing so, he enabled her to accept reality and overcome her excessive grief.
4. Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding?
Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time because, immediately after her son's death, she was blinded by sorrow. Her grief was so intense that she could not think rationally or accept the reality of death.
The Buddha changed her understanding by giving her a practical task instead of a direct explanation. As she visited different houses, she heard stories of loss from every family. Gradually, she realized that death is a natural and unavoidable part of life. This personal experience helped her understand a truth that mere words could not have taught so effectively.
5. How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being ‘selfish in her grief’?
Selfishness usually means thinking only about one's own needs, feelings, or desires without considering others. A selfish person focuses only on personal suffering or happiness and ignores the experiences of other people.
Yes, I agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being “selfish in her grief.” In her deep sorrow, she believed that only she had suffered such a loss. She failed to recognize that countless others had also experienced the pain of losing loved ones. Once she understood that suffering and death are common to all human beings, she became wiser and more compassionate. Her realization helped her overcome her grief and accept the truth of life.
For Anne Gregory
1. What does the young man mean by “great honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear”? Why does he say that young men are “thrown into despair” by them?
The phrase “great honey-coloured ramparts at your ear” refers to Anne Gregory's beautiful golden hair. The word “ramparts” means defensive walls of a fort, and the poet uses it metaphorically to describe the attractive curls of her hair around her face.
The young man says that young men are “thrown into despair” because they are captivated by her beauty, especially her golden hair. They become so fascinated by her outward appearance that they cannot think clearly or see beyond it. Thus, her beauty leaves them helpless and deeply attracted.
2. What colour is the young woman's hair? What does she say she can change it to? Why would she want to do so?
The young woman's hair is honey-coloured, which means golden or yellowish-blonde.
She says that she can dye her hair brown, black, carrot-red, or any other colour. She wants to do this to test whether people truly love her for her inner qualities and personality rather than for her physical beauty. She wishes to know if anyone can love her for who she really is.
3. Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some objects (a car, a phone, a dress...) and say what qualities make one object more desirable than another? Imagine you were trying to sell an object: what qualities would you emphasise?
Different objects become desirable because of their useful features and qualities.
For example:
• A car: good mileage, safety features, comfort, durability, and modern technology.
• A mobile phone: fast performance, excellent camera quality, long battery life, and attractive design.
• A dress: comfort, fabric quality, durability, style, and colour.
If I were trying to sell an object, I would emphasize its quality, reliability, usefulness, value for money, and unique features that make it better than similar products.
4. What about people? Do we love others because we like their qualities, whether physical or mental? Or is it possible to love someone “for themselves alone”? Are some people “more lovable” than others?
(i) A parent or caregiver's love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a clever child or a prodigy.
A parent's love is generally unconditional. Parents usually love their children regardless of their appearance, abilities, or achievements. This suggests that genuine love can exist for a person simply because they are who they are.
(ii) The public's love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker.
Public admiration is often based on a person's achievements, talent, popularity, or contribution to society. Such affection may depend largely on visible qualities and accomplishments.
(iii) Your love for a friend, or brother or sister.
Love for friends and family usually develops through trust, affection, shared experiences, and emotional bonds. Although personal qualities matter, the relationship itself often becomes more important than individual traits.
(iv) Your love for a pet, and the pet's love for you.
The relationship between a person and a pet is often based on affection, loyalty, and companionship. Pets generally love their owners without judging appearance, wealth, or social status, making this form of love especially pure and unconditional.
Therefore, while personal qualities may attract people initially, deep and lasting love often grows because of the person themselves rather than external qualities alone.
5. You have perhaps concluded that people are not objects to be valued for their qualities or riches rather than for themselves. But elsewhere Yeats asks the question: How can we separate the dancer from the dance? Is it possible to separate “the person himself or herself” from how the person looks, sounds, walks, and so on? Think of how you or a friend or member of your family has changed over the years. Has your relationship also changed? In what way?
It is difficult to completely separate a person from his or her appearance, behaviour, voice, and actions because these are part of an individual's identity. However, as we get to know someone better, we begin to value their character, values, and personality more than their outward appearance.
For example, a family member may change physically over the years, becoming older and looking different. However, the love, respect, and emotional bond shared with that person usually grow stronger with time. The relationship changes by becoming deeper and more meaningful because it is based on understanding, trust, and affection rather than appearance alone.
The poem ultimately suggests that true love should focus on a person's inner self and not merely on physical beauty.