The Sermon at Benares

Given: A discussion-based activity about the word 'sermon'.

A sermon is a religious or moral speech, usually delivered by a spiritual leader (such as a priest, monk, or prophet) to an audience, with the purpose of giving moral or spiritual guidance.

Difference from a lecture or talk: A lecture is typically academic and informational, while a talk is a general, informal address. A sermon, however, is specifically moral or religious in nature and is meant to inspire, guide, or correct behaviour.

Negative/humorous use: Yes, the word 'sermon' can be used negatively or humorously to describe a long, preachy speech that someone does not want to hear. For example, 'My mother gave me a sermon about finishing my homework on time' implies that the speaker found the advice repetitive and tiresome, even if well-intentioned.

Given: Vocabulary activity.

Meanings:

1. Afflicted with – To be affected by or suffering from something painful, such as a disease, grief, or misfortune. Example: 'She was afflicted with a terrible illness.'

2. Be composed – To be calm, peaceful, and in control of one's emotions. Example: 'Despite the bad news, he remained composed.'

3. Desolation – A state of complete emptiness, loneliness, or misery; a feeling of utter sadness and hopelessness. Example: 'After the flood, the village was a scene of desolation.'

4. Lamentation – The expression of deep sorrow, grief, or mourning, often through crying or wailing. Example: 'The lamentation of the mourners could be heard throughout the village.'

5. Procure – To obtain or acquire something, especially with care or effort. Example: 'She tried to procure medicine for her sick child.'

6. Be subject to – To be under the influence, control, or effect of something. Example: 'All living beings are subject to death.'

Given: A discussion-based activity.

The Sermon on the Mount was delivered by Jesus Christ. It is one of the most famous sermons in the Bible (found in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 5–7) and contains teachings such as the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer.

The sermon at Benares was delivered by Gautama Buddha. Benares (also known as Varanasi) is a holy city in India, and it was here that the Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. This sermon is known as the 'Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta' (Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion).

Given: The story of Kisa Gotami from 'The Sermon at Benares'.

When Kisa Gotami's only son died, she was overcome with grief and refused to accept his death. She carried the dead child in her arms and went from house to house asking for medicine to cure her son.

She did not get the medicine she asked for. The reason was that no medicine exists that can bring the dead back to life. The people she approached either did not know what to say or told her that they could not help her. She was in a state of denial and grief, unable to accept the reality of death.

Eventually, someone directed her to the Buddha, who alone could help her.

Given: Kisa Gotami's second journey from house to house.

The second time, after speaking with the Buddha, Kisa Gotami went from house to house asking for a handful of mustard seeds — but with a specific condition: the mustard seeds had to come from a house where no one had ever died.

She did not get the mustard seeds (with the required condition). The reason was that there was no house in which someone had not died. In every home she visited, someone had lost a father, mother, child, or another relative. Death had touched every household.

This realisation was the key lesson the Buddha wanted her to learn.

Given: The transformation in Kisa Gotami's understanding.

The first time, Kisa Gotami was so consumed by personal grief that she could not accept the universal truth of death. She believed her suffering was unique and that her son could somehow be brought back to life.

The second time, after going from house to house in search of mustard seeds from a home untouched by death, she understood that death is universal and inevitable. No family is spared from death. Every person who is born must die. Grief and loss are not unique to her — they are the common lot of all human beings.

Yes, this is exactly what the Buddha wanted her to understand. He did not give her a direct answer but sent her on a task that would allow her to discover the truth herself — that death is a part of life, and grief, though natural, should not overwhelm us, because all mortals are subject to death.

Given: The method used by the Buddha to teach Kisa Gotami.

Kisa Gotami could not understand the truth the first time because she was blinded by grief. Her love for her son and her inability to accept his death made her irrational. She was in a state of denial and could not think clearly.

The Buddha changed her understanding not by telling her directly that death is inevitable (which she might have rejected in her grief), but by giving her a practical task — to find mustard seeds from a house where no one had died. This task made her go out, interact with other grieving families, and experience the universality of death firsthand.

As she went from house to house and heard stories of loss from every family, she gradually came to realise that she was not alone in her suffering. This personal discovery was far more powerful than any direct sermon. The Buddha used experiential learning — he guided her to find the truth herself, which made the lesson lasting and meaningful.

Thus, the Buddha changed her understanding by shifting her focus from her own personal grief to the universal human condition.

Given: A reflective question on the concept of selfishness and Kisa Gotami's self-assessment.

Usual understanding of selfishness: Selfishness generally means being excessively concerned with one's own needs, desires, or feelings, without regard for others. A selfish person thinks only of themselves and ignores the needs or pain of those around them.

Kisa Gotami's statement: After her enlightenment, Kisa Gotami realised that in her grief she had been thinking only of herself and her own loss, without recognising that others around her were also suffering from the loss of their loved ones.

Personal opinion: One can agree with Kisa Gotami to a certain extent. Grief, when it becomes all-consuming, can make a person blind to the suffering of others. Kisa Gotami's refusal to accept death and her desperate search for a cure showed that she was focused entirely on her own pain. In that sense, her grief was 'selfish.'

However, it is also important to note that grief is a natural human emotion, and it is not wrong to mourn the loss of a loved one. The Buddha himself does not condemn grief but teaches that excessive lamentation does not help the dead and only causes more suffering to the living. So while Kisa Gotami's self-reflection shows great wisdom and maturity, grief itself is not selfish — it is human. What becomes 'selfish' is when grief prevents us from seeing the larger truth and from helping or empathising with others.

Given: Old-fashioned words and phrases from the text to be rephrased in modern English.

1. 'give thee medicine for thy child'
Modern equivalent: *'give you medicine for your child'*
('Thee' and 'thy' are archaic second-person pronouns meaning 'you' and 'your'.)

2. 'Pray tell me'
Modern equivalent: *'Please tell me'*
('Pray' here is an old-fashioned way of saying 'please' or 'I request you to'.)

3. 'Kisa repaired to the Buddha'
Modern equivalent: *'Kisa went to the Buddha'* or *'Kisa made her way to the Buddha'*
('Repaired to' is an archaic expression meaning 'went to' or 'proceeded to'.)

4. 'there was no house but someone had died in it'
Modern equivalent: *'there was no house where someone had not died'* or *'every house had seen a death'*
(The old construction uses 'but' to mean 'in which ... not'.)

5. 'kinsmen'
Modern equivalent: *'relatives'* or *'family members'*
('Kinsmen' is an old word for people related by blood or family ties.)

6. 'Mark!'
Modern equivalent: *'Listen!'* or *'Pay attention!'* or *'Notice!'*
('Mark' here is used as a command meaning 'observe carefully' or 'take note'.)

Given: A sentence using semicolons, to be broken into three simple sentences, and a comparison of rhythm.

Original sentence (with semicolons):
'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.'

Broken into three simple sentences:
1. There is no means by which those who have been born can avoid dying.
2. After reaching old age, there is death.
3. Such is the nature of living beings.

Comparison of rhythm:
The single sentence using semicolons has a better rhythm when read aloud. The semicolons create a flowing, measured pace that builds upon each idea smoothly, giving the sentence a solemn, poetic quality appropriate to a sermon. The three separate sentences, while clear, feel abrupt and disconnected. They lose the cumulative effect and the sense of inevitability that the original sentence conveys. The semicolons help the ideas flow into one another, reinforcing the Buddha's message about the inescapable nature of death.

Given: A speaking/discussion activity comparing the Buddha's sermon with modern approaches to grief.

Points for discussion:

The Buddha's approach:
The Buddha taught that death is universal and inevitable. He advised that weeping and lamentation do not bring peace; instead, one should 'draw out the arrow of lamentation' and become composed. His method was experiential — he guided Kisa Gotami to discover the truth herself rather than telling her directly.

Modern Text 1 (A Guide to Coping with the Death of a Loved One):
This text acknowledges grief as a natural emotion and focuses on practical coping strategies — maintaining social connections, seeking support, and gradually returning to normal activities. It recognises that grief takes time and that individuals need support from friends, family, and sometimes professionals.

Modern Text 2 (Personal account of grief):
This text shows that grief can include anger and a sense of injustice. The writer finds solace in the advice 'We are not to ask why, but what' — focusing on what survivors can do for one another. This is similar to the Buddha's teaching in that it redirects attention from personal sorrow to action and community.

Conclusion:
The Buddha's ideas continue to hold great meaning. His core teaching — that death is universal, that excessive grief harms the living, and that peace comes from acceptance — is echoed in modern psychology and grief counselling. While modern approaches add the dimension of professional support and acknowledge the stages of grief more explicitly, the fundamental wisdom of the Buddha remains relevant. We have not found 'better' ways so much as complementary ways to deal with grief. The Buddha's method of experiential learning and his compassionate, non-judgmental approach are timeless.

Given: A writing activity on the topic of teaching a new or difficult idea.

Sample Answer:

Teaching someone a new or difficult idea is one of the most rewarding yet challenging tasks a person can undertake. It requires not only knowledge of the subject but also an understanding of the learner's perspective, patience, and creativity. The best teachers do not simply transfer information — they inspire understanding.

One of the most effective ways to teach a difficult idea is through experience and examples, rather than direct explanation. The Buddha, for instance, did not simply tell Kisa Gotami that death is universal. Instead, he sent her on a task that allowed her to discover this truth herself. When we learn through our own experience, the lesson stays with us far longer than something we are merely told. Similarly, a good teacher uses stories, analogies, and real-life situations to make abstract ideas concrete and relatable.

Patience and empathy are equally important. A learner who is struggling with a new concept may feel frustrated or embarrassed. A good teacher creates a safe environment where questions are welcomed and mistakes are seen as part of the learning process. I have personally experienced this when my mathematics teacher used everyday examples to explain complex problems, making me feel that understanding was within my reach. Teaching, at its best, is an act of kindness — it opens doors that the learner did not even know existed.

Given: A writing activity on helping each other through difficult times.

Sample Answer:

Life is full of challenges — loss, failure, illness, and disappointment are experiences that no one can entirely avoid. During such difficult times, the support of others can make an enormous difference. Human beings are social creatures, and we are at our strongest when we stand together.

The story of Kisa Gotami teaches us that grief can be isolating. In her sorrow, she felt utterly alone, as though no one else had ever suffered as she had. It was only when she went from house to house and heard the stories of others that she realised suffering is universal. This shared understanding of pain is itself a form of comfort. When we know that others have faced similar hardships and survived, we find the courage to carry on.

Helping someone through a difficult time does not always require grand gestures. Sometimes, simply being present — listening without judgement, offering a kind word, or sharing a meal — is enough. As the second text in our lesson shows, a family dealing with grief found consolation in calling each other, spending time together, and focusing on what they could do for one another. This is a powerful reminder that in our darkest moments, it is human connection that lights the way forward.

Given: A writing activity on the tension between individuality and universality.

Sample Answer:

Each of us is unique. We have our own fingerprints, our own memories, our own dreams and fears. This sense of individuality is precious — it gives us identity, purpose, and self-worth. We celebrate our differences and take pride in what makes us special. And yet, when we look at the larger picture of humanity, we are also just one among billions of others who share the same fundamental experiences.

The Buddha's sermon reminds us of this dual nature of human existence. Kisa Gotami felt that her grief was unique and unbearable — and in one sense, it was, because it was her son, her love, her loss. But the Buddha gently showed her that every family has known death, every heart has known sorrow. Recognising ourselves as part of this vast human family does not diminish our individuality; rather, it connects us to something larger than ourselves and helps us bear our burdens with greater equanimity.

The balance between seeing oneself as unique and as one among many is the key to a healthy and compassionate life. When we think only of our own uniqueness, we risk becoming self-centred and isolated. When we think only of ourselves as one among billions, we may feel insignificant. The wisest approach is to honour our individuality while also cultivating empathy — to know that our joys and sorrows, though uniquely ours, are also deeply human, shared across time and across the world.