The Sermon at Benares Notes Chapter 8 English Class 10

Birth and Early Life:
- Gautama Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautama in 563 B.C. in northern India.
- Belonged to a royal family. At 12, he studied sacred Hindu scriptures.
- Married a princess at 16 and had a son.
The Four Sights:
- At age 25, Siddhartha went out and saw:
  1. A sick man
  2. An old man
  3. A funeral procession
  4. A monk seeking alms
- These experiences made him realize that suffering is part of human life.
Search for Enlightenment:
- Left his palace and wandered for 7 years in search of truth.
- Meditated under a peepal tree until he attained enlightenment after 7 days.
- The tree was named Bodhi Tree (Tree of Wisdom).
- He became known as Buddha – the Enlightened One.
- He gave his first sermon at Benares, the holy city on the Ganges.

Her Loss:
- Kisa Gotami had an only son who died.
- Overcome with grief, she carried his dead body to neighbors, asking for medicine.
- People pitied her but told her the boy was dead.
Seeking Help from Buddha:
- Someone advised her to go to the Buddha.
- She begged Buddha to cure her son.
- Buddha told her to bring a handful of mustard seeds.
- Condition: the seeds must be from a house where no one had ever died.
Her Realization:
- Kisa Gotami went from house to house.
- Every family had lost someone-child, parent, husband, or friend.
- She understood that death comes to all.
- Sitting by the roadside, she saw city lights flicker and go out, and compared them to human lives that shine for a while and then end.
- She realized her grief was selfish, as she wanted to save only her son, ignoring the universal truth of death.

Life is full of suffering: Pain, sorrow, and death are natural.
Death is certain:
- No one who is born can escape death.
- Just as ripe fruits fall, human lives are always close to death.
- Like pots made by a potter, all lives end in destruction.
Universality of Death:
- The wise know that everyone is subject to death.
- Neither father nor relatives can save a person from dying.
Futility of Grief:
- Crying or lamentation cannot bring the dead back.
- Instead, it increases pain and makes the body suffer.
Path to Peace:
- Remove the “arrow” of sorrow, complaint, and grief.
- A composed person who accepts reality achieves peace of mind.
- One who conquers sorrow becomes free and blessed.

Death is universal and unavoidable.
Grief is natural but selfish when we think only of our own loss.
True wisdom lies in:
- Accepting the truth of life and death calmly.
- Rising above sorrow and attachment.
By understanding this, humans can achieve peace, freedom from suffering, and spiritual growth.