sermones of benares Flashcards
When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?
Kisa Gotami was overcome with grief and agony when her only son died. She carried her son’s dead body in her arms and went from one house to another asking for medicine that could cure her child, but nobody could help. Since her son was dead, it wasn’t possible for anyone to give her any medicine and bring the dead person back to life.
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?
Gautama Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had lost a child, husband, parent or friend. She went from door to door, but couldn’t find a single house where death had not knocked their door and taken away their beloved one. Hence, she did not get any such house as death is inevitable and all mortals who come to this world are bound to die someday.
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?
When Kisa Gotami failed to procure a handful of mustard seeds from a house where death never took away any beloved one, she became weary and helpless and sat down by the roadside. While sitting there, she observed the flickering and extinguishing of lights and finally the darkness of the night reigned everywhere. This incident made her realise that death is inevitable and she was being selfish in her grief and agony. She understood that in this valley of desolation, there is always a path that leads man, who has surrendered all his selfishness, to immortality
Yes, this is what Buddha wanted her to understand that every mortal being who is born in this world is bound to die one day.
Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding?
In the first instance, Kisa Gotami could only see her grief of losing her young son. But, when she went from one house to another the second time to procure a handful of mustard seeds to save her dead son, she understood that everyone was dealing with the loss of a dear one. Not a single house was left untouched by death, where people had not lost their son, husband, parent or friend. At some point of time, everyone had experienced the pain of death and losing their loved ones. Feeling dejected, she sat down and realised that death is inevitable and the fate of mortal beings is to live and die someday. Through this instance, Gautama Buddha helped her to understand that death is common to all mortal beings and everyone is bound to die one day or the other.
How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being ‘selfish in her grief’?
A selfish person is one who is extremely preoccupied about himself or herself. In the story, Kisa Gotami was also being selfish in her grief because she was just thinking about her own pain. So when she lost her child, she wanted to bring him back to life by any means and finally went to Buddha to ask for help. He gave her the ultimate lesson of life that humans are mortal beings and it is natural for everyone to die. Although we may find it difficult to accept the death of our loved ones, death is inevitable and is bound to happen sooner or later.
What made Gauthamy
Bush’s seek enlightenment?
The sights of a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession, and finally a monk begging for alms so moved Gautama that he at once went out into the world to seek enlightenment concerning the sorrows he had witnessed.
Write a note on Gautama Buddha’s early life.
Gautama Buddha (563 B.C. - 483 B.C.) began life as a prince named Siddhartha Gautama, in northern India.
At twelve, he was sent away for schooling in the Hindu sacred scriptures and four years later he returned home to marry a princess. They had a son and Siddhartha lived a royal life for ten years with his family. At about the age of twenty-five, he came out of this shielded life when he went out on a hunting expedition.
What was the effect of the sufferings of the world on Buddha?
Buddha felt very upset after coming across the sufferings of the world. Leaving all the comforts of his palace, he became an ascetic and went out into the world to experience the pangs of sufferings and to seek enlightenment.
When and where did Siddhartha get enlightenment?
After wandering for seven years, Siddhartha finally sat down under a peepal tree, where he vowed to stay until he got enlightenment. He got enlightened after seven days.
Why was Gautama known as the Buddha?
After wandering for seven years, Siddhartha finally sat down under a peepal tree, where he vowed to stay until he got enlightenment. He got enlightened after seven days and he renamed the tree the Bodhi Tree (Tree of Wisdom) and began to teach and to share his new understandings. At that point he became to be known as the Buddha (the Awakened or the Enlightened).
Why was Kisa Gotami grief-stricken? What did she ask her neighbours to give her?
Kisa Gotami was grief-stricken because her only son was died and she was not able to reconcile to this loss.
She caaried her dead son all about her neighbourhood and asked everyone to give her some medicine that could bring her dead son back to life.
Who sent Kisa Gotami to Sakyamuni and why?
Kisa Gotami was going from one person to other in her neighbourhood asking forsome medicine that could bring her dead son back to life. In this process, she came across a man who though was not able to help her but was confident that Sakyamuni, the Buddha would be able to find some solution. So, he sent her to Sakyamuni.
What did Buddha ask Kisa to bring and why?
Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no near and dear one had ever died. He did so because he wanted to make Kisa realise that death is inevitable and one should not be selfish in one’s sorrow.
What did Kisa Gotami learn about the fate of men?
From her futile venture regarding the mustard seeds, Kisa Gotami learnt that death is common to all and anyone who dies cannot be brought back to life. She learnt that world is afflicted with death and decay and therefore, wise don’t grieve. In order to obtain peace of mind, one will have to draw out the arrow of complaint, grief and lamentation.
How did Buddha teach Kisa the truth of life?
Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had lost a dear one to death. He wanted to make Kisa learn the inevitability of death from her own experience. Buddha knew that Kisa would learn this through her experience and not through his words
