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By Shailendra Singh
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Updated on 17 Jun 2025, 16:53 IST
The Sermon at Benares is one of the most meaningful and thought-provoking chapters in the Class 10 English First Flight textbook. This story takes us into the teachings of Lord Buddha, one of the greatest spiritual leaders in world history. His message, shared in this chapter, teaches us how to understand life, suffering, and the reality of death. The chapter helps students learn deep lessons in simple language while also improving their reading and comprehension skills.
The story begins with a brief introduction to Siddhartha Gautama, who later became the Buddha. Born into a royal family, Siddhartha lived a comfortable and luxurious life. But once he stepped out of his palace and saw the harsh truths of life — old age, sickness, and death — he realized that material comfort cannot protect anyone from suffering. These experiences deeply affected him. He left his royal life behind in search of answers to the suffering he witnessed. After years of meditation and deep thinking, Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became the Buddha, meaning "the awakened one."
In this chapter, we read about a sermon that Buddha delivered at Benares (now known as Varanasi), one of the oldest and holiest cities in India. In his sermon, Buddha talks about the truth of life and death. Through the story of Kisa Gotami, a grieving mother who lost her only son, Buddha teaches that death is a natural part of life. Everyone who is born will eventually die, and no one can escape this reality. Instead of being trapped in endless sorrow, Buddha advises people to accept the truth and live a life of wisdom, kindness, and peace.
Do Check: NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English
The NCERT Solutions for The Sermon at Benares provided here will help students fully understand the chapter. These solutions explain the meanings of difficult words, give clear answers to textbook questions, and summarize the key ideas in easy language. They are designed to support students in scoring well in exams while also helping them understand the valuable life lessons that Buddha’s sermon offers.
By using these NCERT Solutions, students can strengthen their grasp of the chapter, practice important questions, and gain confidence in writing accurate and thoughtful answers in their exams.
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The Sermon at Benares is a powerful lesson from the life and teachings of Lord Buddha. This chapter tells the story of Kisa Gotami, a grieving mother who learns the truth about life and death. Through her experience, Buddha teaches that death is a natural part of life and comes to everyone. The chapter helps students understand how to face sorrow with wisdom and acceptance.
Our PDF download includes complete NCERT solutions, important questions, and easy-to-understand summaries to help students prepare well for exams. You can easily download the PDF to study offline and revise the chapter anytime.
Q1. When Her Son Dies, Kisa Gotami Goes From House to House. What Does She Ask For? Does She Get It? Why Not?
Answer: After her son passed away, Kisa Gotami went from one house to another, requesting medicine that could bring her child back to life. She did not get the medicine because her son was already dead, and no medicine could bring him back.
Q2. 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?
Answer: When Kisa Gotami met the Buddha, he asked her to bring mustard seeds from a house where no one had ever lost a loved one — no child, husband, parent, or friend. She visited many houses searching for such mustard seeds but could not find any because every family had faced some kind of loss. Therefore, she could not collect the mustard seeds.
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Q3. 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?
Answer: The second time, Kisa Gotami understood that death comes to everyone and that her sorrow was not unique. Every house had lost someone. Yes, this was exactly what the Buddha wanted her to realize — that death is a natural part of life and happens to all living beings.
Q4. Why Do You Think Kisa Gotami Understood This Only the Second Time? In What Way Did the Buddha Change Her Understanding?
Answer: Kisa Gotami realized this truth the second time because she saw that no family was free from death. At first, she was only focused on saving her son. The Buddha cleverly asked her to collect mustard seeds from a house untouched by death, knowing that such a house did not exist.
As she visited each home and heard everyone’s story of loss, she finally understood that death happens to all people. Sitting down and thinking deeply, she accepted that life and death are part of everyone’s destiny. This was the lesson the Buddha wanted her to learn.
Q5. How Do You Usually Understand the Idea of ‘Selfishness’? Do You Agree With Kisa Gotami That She Was Being ‘Selfish in Her Grief’?
Answer: Selfishness usually means focusing only on oneself — thinking about "I," "me," or "mine." Kisa Gotami was so lost in her sorrow that she could not think about the pain others had also faced. While it is normal to feel sad after losing someone close, most people accept the loss and move on to perform the last rites.
They do not carry the body around hoping for a miracle. Family and friends support the grieving person, but life eventually continues. Kisa Gotami, however, was so overwhelmed by her own pain that she forgot about her remaining family and society. In that way, she was being selfish in her grief.
Q6. This Text Is Written in an Old-Fashioned Style. Rephrase the Following Words and Phrases Into Simple Language:
(i) Give thee medicine for thy child
Answer: Give you medicine for your child
(ii) Pray tell me
Answer: Please tell me
(iii) Kisa repaired to the Buddha
Answer: Kisa went to the Buddha
(iv) There was no house but someone had died in it
Answer: There was no house where no one had died
(v) Kinsmen
Answer: Relatives
(vi) Mark!
Answer: Listen
Q7. The Following Sentence Uses Semicolons. Break It Into Three Simple Sentences. Also, Mention Which Version Sounds Better.
For there is not any means by which those who have been born can avoid dying; after reaching old age there is death; of such a nature are living beings.
Answer:
Do Check: NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints without Feet
The Sermon at Benares is a story from the life of Lord Buddha, who was born as Siddhartha Gautama. He was born in a royal family but left his palace after seeing people suffering from old age, sickness, and death. He wanted to find out why people suffer and how they can be free from pain. After many years of deep thinking and meditation, Siddhartha became enlightened and was known as Buddha, which means "the awakened one."
In this chapter, Buddha delivers a sermon (a religious talk) at Benares, which is one of the holiest cities in India. In his sermon, he teaches people about the reality of life and death. He says that death is a natural part of life and no one can escape it. Every person who is born will die one day.
The story tells about a woman named Kisa Gotami, whose only son had died. She was heartbroken and wanted to bring him back to life. She went to Buddha for help. Buddha gently told her to bring mustard seeds from a house where no one had ever died. Kisa Gotami went from house to house, but she couldn’t find a single home where death had not touched someone.
Through this task, Kisa Gotami realized that death is universal. Everyone loses loved ones. She understood that she was not the only one who was suffering. With this understanding, her pain reduced, and she accepted the reality of life.
Buddha's sermon teaches that instead of being lost in grief, one should accept the truth of life and focus on living with peace and kindness. Holding on to sorrow only brings more suffering, but acceptance leads to wisdom and inner calm.
The main message of The Sermon at Benares is that death is inevitable for all living beings. Lord Buddha teaches that instead of being trapped in grief, one should accept the truth of life and death with wisdom and peace. This acceptance helps in reducing sorrow and leads to inner calm.
Kisa Gotami was a woman whose only child had died. In her grief, she went to Lord Buddha seeking a way to bring her son back to life. Buddha asked her to bring mustard seeds from a house where no one had ever died. She could not find such a house and finally realized that death comes to every family. She learned to accept death as a natural part of life.
The NCERT Solutions explain the chapter in simple language, providing detailed answers to textbook questions. They help students understand the deep meanings of Buddha's teachings, improve their writing skills, and prepare them for exams with confidence.
Buddha wanted Kisa Gotami to realize that death happens to everyone. By asking her to bring mustard seeds from a house where no one had died, he helped her understand that no family is free from loss, and sorrow is a common part of human life.
Students learn important life lessons about accepting loss, understanding the cycle of life and death, and finding peace by letting go of grief. The chapter also teaches compassion, wisdom, and the importance of controlling one's emotions during difficult times.
You can download NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 The Sermon at Benares from trusted educational websites, study apps, or your school’s learning portal. These solutions are available in PDF format for easy access and offline study.