Access to the AP 10th Class English Workbook Answers Words and Expressions Class 10 Solutions Unit 8 The Sermon at Benaras Questions and Answers are aligned with the curriculum standards.
AP 10th Class English Workbook Answers Unit 8 The Sermon at Benaras
Let’s Begin
Question 1.
In the lesson ‘The Sermon at Benaras’ you were asked to find out the meaning of ‘sermon’. The meanings are given below but these are in different contexts:
- a talk on a religious or moral subject
- a long or monotonous piece of admonition of caution or a warning, a lecture.
a) Discuss with your classmates the context to which the present text belongs.
b) What could b4 the examples for the different context according to you ?
c) When your parents or elders say something, you say, “Oh, not again!” When do you say so and why ?
Answer
a) In the context of the lesson the word ‘Sermon’ is used with the meaning of “a talk,on a religious or moral subject”. In the lesson “The Sermon at Benafes”, the Buddha talked to Kisa Gotami on religious, philosophical matters bringing awareness about the mortal and eternal life of the humans. He preaches her how world is affected with death and decay and makes her realise that death is common to all and it is unavoidable.
b) Sermon: a talk on a religious or moral subject. Ex: The Buddha gave his first Sermon at Benares.
ii) Sermon: a long monotonous piece of admonition or caution or a warning, a lecture. Ex: The Headmaster gave a sermon to the students who had broken the glass panes of the windows of his office room.
c) When ever we get the same instruction or advice or admonition or warning again and again and our elders want us to be prudent and sagacious on our behaviour, we use the expression “Oh, not again!”. It expresses our impatience and dispiritedness and despondency since we are discouraged and when our enthusiasm or zeal was dampened and when we are restrained from doing fascinating things.
Question 2.
Read the poem given in the context of ‘The Sermon at Benaras’. It was actually delivered as a part of a sermon in 1910 by the author, Canon Henry Scott Holland (1847 – 1918), a priest at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. After reading the poem, discuss in groups of four and list the similarities and differences between ‘The Sermon at Benaras’ and ‘Death Is Nothing At All’. For example the theme, the situation, the philosophy of the two speakers etc.
Answer:
| Similarities | Differences |
| 1) Both the sermons share a common theme that death is inevitable. All mortals are subject to death. | 1) ‘The Sermon at Benaras’ is a sermon preached by the Buddha at Benares, whereas, ‘Death is Nothing At AH’ is a sermon delivered by Canon Henry Scott Holland, a priest. |
| 2) Both the sermons preach that one should not lament the loss of their with and kin since any amount of lamentation cannot save the dead or bring peace to the one left behind alive. Death of a loved one should not bring about any change in those who were attached to the dead one. | 2) The Sermon at Benaras was addressed to a woman named Kisa Gotami, a woman who had lost her son, where as the sermon “The Death is Nothing at All” was an elegy spoken to the gathering who attended to the funeral of some dead person at the cathedral by the priest. |
| 3) Buddha says that all the earthen vessels end in being broken so is the life of the mortals. But the speaker in the poem ‘Death is Nothing at AH’, says that by being dead, the dead person has just slipped into the next room. | 3) The Buddha in his preachings called death as something unavoidable. He says that mortals are always in danger of death, whereas the speaker in the ‘Death is Nothing At AH’ calls death is negligible. |
| 4) In the poem ‘Death is Nothing at All’ the speaker says that Death is nothing at all; It does not make any difference for the dead one since the soul is not dead. The Buddha says that death is common to all. All are subject to death; All fall into the power of death. | 4) The Buddha in his sermon speaks about how to alleviate grief of the death of the loved ones, whereas the speaker who has just been dead speaks that to treat him in the same way how he was treated when he was alive. |
| 5) The Buddha says that the world is afflicted with death and decay. Weeping and grieving cannot obtain peace of mind, whereas the speaker in the poem “Death is Nothing at AH” the speaker manages to create a very positive and happy feeling about death. The poem helps to eliminate the fear of sadness surrounding death making us relieved. | 5) The Buddha does not speak about the life after death in his sermon, whereas the speaker in the poem “Death is Nothing At All” speaks about his feeling after he was dead.
|
Reading Comprehension
Text – 1
Question 1.
According to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, what should we do if we want a happier humanity?
Answer:
We must tackle the root of the problem if we want a happier humanity, a happier world.
Question 2.
Where does the ultimate cause of the problem lie?
Answer:
The ultimate cause of the problem lies within the human mind.
Question 3.
“What I call human feeling, then ‘it’ is very useful.” What is ‘t’ referred to here ?
Answer:
‘It’ here refers to intelligence accompanied with human affection and compassion.
Question 4.
Why does the Dalai Lama say that proper motivation is important ?
Answer:
because every human action, verbal or physical, even minor actions, have some motivation. Proper motivation or proper development is an important factor.
Question 5.
Why is there a requirement of correlation between the intention of an individual and the interest’ of society?
Answer:
If society’s moral values and standards of behaviour became negative, each of us will suffer. Therefore, the intentions of an individual are very much related to the interests of society.
Question 6.
What does His Holiness the Dalai Lama mean by “spiritual development” ?
Answer:
His Holiness the Dalai Lama means Spiritual Development not in a religious sense but simply in the sense of having a good and compassionate heart.
Question 7.
A compassionate heart brings –
Answer:
- inner strength.
- allows for less fear and less doubt.
- subsequently one becomes happier and more open-minded.
Text – II
Question 1.
Why did Father Gilligan cry “my body spake, not I”?
Answer:
One day when Father illigan was tired and exhausted, and while he was asleep on his chair another man sent for him for whom he had to perform a priest’s duty. Father Gilligan could no longer bear it. and cried in his distress. But he immediately asked forgiveness from God for his outburst and knelt before him and prayed to God.
Question 2.
“The moth-hour of eve”, “the moth hour went” and “the moths came once more” establish a link. They suggest-
a) the movement of moths.
b) the passage of time.
c) the actions of Father Gilligan.
Answer:
(b) the passage of time
Question 3.
Why did the poet say that the priest “rode with little care”? Does it mean that the old priest, Peter Gilligan, had no care for the safety of the horse and people on the way? What did he not care about?
Answer:
Father Gilligan rode with little care that means very rashly because he was shocked to know that he slept for a long time. He blamed himself by saying that the person who needed his help might have died. So, he woke up his horse and rode very fast. Since he was doing the ‘Duty of God’ and he was late in attending to his duties he rode very fast with little care. He never minded the care of his horse and himself.
Question 4.
How did the priest feel when he heard that the sick man was dead? (Choose the correct option.)
a) He was frustrated and amazed.
b) He was ashamed and annoyed.
c) He was full of grief and self-condemnation.
Answer:
(c) He was full of grief and self-condemnation.
Question 5.
Why did Father Gilligan kneel down when he heard the sick man’s wife say “When you were gone…”?
Answer:
Father knelt down when he heard that the sick had man died to pray to God to show his gratitude towards God for sending another priest in his place to relieve him of his excessive burden.
Question 6.
How did God help when “the least of things” was in need ?
Answer:
God helped Father Gilligan by sending another priest to do his duty when he was tired and fell asleep.
Vocabulary
Question 1.
Antonyms for the words in the text ‘The Sermon at Benaras’ are given below. Find the words and fill in the blanks.
- unfit x capable
- joy x misery
- contentment x discontentment
- found x lost
- cheered x grieved
- lively x lazily, tardily
- calm x noisy; anxious
Question 2.
Use a dictionary to find out four words each having the meaning nearest to the ones given below.
Answer:
Grammar
Reported Speech
Question 1.
Read the passage (“Kisa Gotami had an only son, … a child, husband, parent or friend.”) from the text, ‘The Sermon at Benaras’ (page 112). Rewrite the paragraphs changing the direct speech into reported speech in the space given below.
Answer:
Kisa Gotami had an only son, and he died. In her grief she carried the dead child to all her neighbours, asking them for medicine, and the people said that she had lost her senses and added the boy was dead. At length, Kisa Gotami met a man who replied to her request and said that he could not give her the medicine for her child, but he knew a physian who could.
And the girl requested him to tell him who it was. And the man replied to her request and asked her to go to Sakyamuni, the Buddha. Kisa Gotami repaired to the Buddha and cried and requested him to give her the medicine that would cure her boy.
The Buddha answered and told her that he wanted a handful of mustard seed. And when the girl in her joy promised to procure it, the Buddha added that the mustard seed must be taken from a house where no one had lost a child, a husband, parent or friend.
Question 2.
Read the story given. Change the direct speech into reported speech and rewrite the story in the space provided. Use the reporting verbs given above wherever necessary. You can use any other reporting verb you find suitable.
Answer:
It is said that it is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness. Being happy does not require everything to be good but an eye to see good in everything. One day a crow saw a swan. He thought that swan was so white and he was so black. He further thought that swan must be the happiest bird in the world.
The swan replied that he was feeling that he was the happiest bird around, but he thought that the parrot was the happiest bird as it has two colours. The crow then approached the parrot. The parrot said that he had only two colours, but the peacock has multiple colours.
The crow then visited a peacock in the zoo. He said affectionately to the peacock that he is so beautiful. He further added the thousands of people came to see him every day and he was the happiest bird on the planet.
The peacock said that he always thought that he was the most beautiful and happy bird on the planet, but he was entrapped in that zoo. He had realised that crow was the only bird not kept in a cage, and could happily roam everywhere.
Editing
Question 1.
There are some omissions in the paragraph given below. Edit the paragraph, use suitable prepositions and words.
The Wild Geese
One day, Prince Siddhartha was going the royal gardens on his way the river. A flock wild geese passed overhead. Devadatta, the Prince’s cousin, shot arrow into their midst one of the geese fell. It was wounded and fell just front of Siddhartha. His heart was filled compassion when he saw poor bird bleeding profusely. He lifted it and he drew the arrow very carefully from its body. He took the bird with him. Devadatta sent a messenger claim the bird. But Siddhartha refused to give it. He said that belonged to him because he had saved its life. It did not belong to Devadutta who had tried to kill.
Answer
One day, Prince Siddhartha was going to the royal gardens on his way to the river. A flock of wiltf geese passed overhead. Devadatta, the Prince’s cousin, shot an arrow into their midst. One of the geese fell down. It was wounded and fell down just in front of Siddhartha.
His heart was filled with compassion when he saw the poor bird bleeding profusely. He lifted it and he drew out the arrow very carefully from its body. He took the bird away with him. Devadatta sent a messenger and claimed the bird. But Siddhartha refused to give it. He said that belonged to him because he had sayed its life. It did not belong to Devadutta who had tried to kill it.’
Listening
a) Which Buddhist monument is referred to here and what does it portray ?
Answer:
Buddhist monument, Sanchi Stupa is referred to here and it portrays Buddhist art and sculpture.
b) Who are the people who visit this Stupa throughout the year ?
Answer:
Thousands of visitors, including national and foreign tourists, archaeologists and historians visit this Stupa everyyear.
c) In which period the Stupa was built, and who commissioned it ?
Answer:
It was built during the Mauryan period and originally commissioned in the third century BCE by Emperor Ashoka.
d) Where is the central chamber in the Stupa? What is kept inside it ?
Answer:
The huge hemispherical dome consists of a central chamber. In this chamber, the relics of Lord Buddha are placed.
e) What structures were added to the huge hemisphere in first century BCE ?
Answer:
Four ornamental gateways or toranas facing four directions and a balustrade surrounding the Stupa were added in the first century BCE.
f) The toranas are decorated with: (Tick the right answer) –
a) stone ornaments
b) events of Lord Buddha’s life
c) Lord Buddha’s relics
d) symbolic depiction of Lord Buddha as throne, wheel, footprints, etc.
Answer:
(b) events of Lord Buddha’s life (✓)
Speaking
It is important to know that everyone has some problem or other, and they grieve in unique ways. Your grief is different than those around you. You have experienced a loss or an intense sorrow, especially caused by someone’s death. This can also refer to the loss of physical or cognitive abilities or the loss of something that was routine in your life such as friendship, head boy or head girl, playing for school, etc.
Discuss with your friend and note down-
- what could be the possible reasons for someone’s grief or sorrow.
- how can they overcome this.
Share your feelings and suggestions in the class.
Answer
Grief is a person’s normal, healthy response to a loss. It describes the emotions you feel when you lose someone or something important to you. People grieve for many different reasons; including.
- Death of a loved one, including pets
- Divorce or changes in a relationship, including friendships
- Changes in your health or the health of the loved ones
- Losing a job or changes in financial security.
- Changes in your way of life, such as during retirement or when moving to a new place.
Tips to cope with the grief of losing someone you love :
The death of a loved one can be a traumatic and painful experience for many people. It’s crucial to take care of your emotional and physical well-being during times of grief. Working with a licensed mental health professional is one of the most effective ways to deal with. A therapist can provide professional support and guidance, which may help prevent serious long-lasting effects on your mental health.
Relaxation techniques like deep breathing and muscle relaxation may calm your parasympathetic nervous system, helping your body and mind relax after your brain releases stress hormone cortisol during grief.
Some people find the strategy of thought stopping helpful. One of the potential aspects of processing grief and loss is talking about your feelings. After your loss, it may be challenging to think of positive memories when you remember, your loved ones.
Find ways to honour your loved one’s memory by partaking in a positive activity, in their honour to make a beneficial impact in the world. Talking to someone or attending a therapy group might be beneficial immediately after the loss to offer a sense of solidarity and support as you experience your emotions.
Writing
Question 1.
Write a paragraph on how you can help others who are in grief. You may consider the following points:
- grief is expressed through a variety of behaviours — observe these
- reach out to others in their grief, but some people may not want to accept help; some will not share their grief— understand this
- some others will want to talk about their thoughts and feelings—be a support to them, stand by them
- let the grieving person know you care for them — be patient
- focus on what you can do, like holding their hand, etc.– a solace or a consolation
Answer:
It is very upsetting to see someone grieving and in pain. It might feel like you need to do or say something to make things less painful. What the people who are in grief need is simply for us to be there with them, even if you can’t fix things.
You could just sit with them in silence. Or send regular messages to let them know you’re thinking of them or you could suggest something to do together, like watching a film or going for a walk. Many people appreciate the chance to talk about the person they have lost. It can be comforting or a way of keeping a connection to their loved one.
When someone you care about who is grieving after a loss, it can be difficult to know what to say or do. The bereaved struggle with many intense and painful emotions, including depression, anger, guilt and profound sadness. Often they also feel isolated and alone in their grief.
The important things we should do to help a loved one who is grieving.
- Don’t let fears about saying or doing the wrong things stop you from reaching out. ‘
- Let your grieving loved one know that you’re there to listen.
- Understand that everyone grieves differently and/or for different length of time.
- Offer to help their in practical ways. ’
- Let the bereaved talk about how their loved one died. Being patient to listen to the repeating story is a way of processing and accepting death, with each retelling, the pain lessens. By listening patiently and compassionately, you are helping your love one heal.
- Accept your loved one’s feelings. Let the grieving person know that it’s okay to cry in front of you, to get angry, or to break down.
- Be genuine in your communication. Don’t try to minimize their loss, provide simplistic solutions or offer unsolicited advice.
- Don’t press if the grieving person doesn’t feel like talking. Often comfort for them comes from simply being in your company.
- Offer your support. Ask what you can do for the grieving person. Offer them practiced assistance.
Question 2.
Two poems are given in the textbook, First Flight, page left-117, one by Kahlil Gibran, and the other by Rabindra Nath Tagore. Read the poems, discuss in groups of four on what these two poets want to say in their respective poems. Then write the summary of each poem and share it with your classmates.
Answer:
Summary of ‘Toy and Sorrow’
Joy and sorrow are inseparable. They are two sides of the same thing and complement one another. That which brings us joy also brings sorrow. One emotion is not greater than the other. Both are equally present in life, balanced like scales: one raising as the other falls. The poet seems to contradict as he tells his audience “Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.” A closer look, however, reveals the truth that joy and sorrow spring from the same well. Thus they are inseparable.
By peering deep into the heart of their sorrow, a person also will find the heart of their joy. The deeper one’s capacity to experience joy, the deeper the capacity to experience sorrow. The poet says that a person often times has filled the container with some amount of happiness and also grief at the same time.
The poet equates the level of happiness to the level of sorrow. He cites instances to justify the equilibrium state of joy and sorrow. He says that the cup that gives the joy of the wine has undergone the sorrow and pain of getting heated on the potter’s oven.
The very lute that even that gives us serene and comforting music, the same lias under gone the same amount of pain when it was cut and hollowed out with knives. He explains that when a person is happy, he is able to get happiness because of the sorrow he had experienced. In the same, way when he is sad he is crying because of the joy he had experienced. Thus he says that joy and sorrow are inseparable entities. It means that emotions are temporal and there will be interchange of emotions in some other stages of human life.
Summary of Tagore’s Poem : “Sav not in grief …”
Tagore’s poem ‘Say not in grief…’ is a mournful poem. In this poem the poet Tagore says that we should not be grieved when our beloved is dead instead we should be thankful to God for giving us the opportunity of enjoying their association for the span of a life.
We should not feel that death is not like the extinguishing of a light or ending of a life instead death is putting out the lamp because the dawn has come. The lamp can be lit when the sun sets. So death is not a permanent termination of life of a soul because ‘soul has no death’. It takes birth again and again. Thus Tagore believes in eternity and infinity of soul.
Project
- Work in groups of four.
- Collect Jataka tales (at least six) concerning the previous births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form.
- Read these and rewrite the stories in your own words. You can develop a comic strip too.
- Make a collage of the stories.
- Illustrate the stories and display the collage in your class.
Answer:
The Jataka Tales are a voluminous body of literature native to South Asia which mainly concern the previous births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form.
In these stories, the future Buddha may appear as a king, an outcast, a deva, an animal – but in whatever form, he exhibits some virtue that the tale there by inculcates.
The following is a Jataka Tale.
The Future Buddha as a Wise Judge: A woman, carrying her child, went to the future Buddha’s tank to wash. And having bathed the child first, she put on her upper garment and descended into the water to bathe herself.
Then a Yakshini, seeing the child, had a craving to eat it. And taking the form of a woman, she drew near, and asked the mother, “Friend, this is a pretty child. Is it one of yours ?” And when she was told it was, she asked if she might nurse it. And this being allowed, she nursed it a little, and then carried it off.
But when the mother saw this, she ran, after her, and cried out. “Where are you taking my child to ?” and caught hold of her.
The Yakshini boldly said, “Where did you have the child from ? It is mine”. And so quarrelling, they passed the door of the future Buddha’s judgement hall.
He heard the noise, sent for them, inquired into the matter, and asked them, whether they would abide by his decision. And they agreed. Then he had a line drawn on the ground; and hold the Yakshini to take hold the child’s arms and the mother to take hold of its legs, and said “The child shall be hers who drags him over the line.
But as soon as they pulled at him, the mother, seeing how he suffered, greaved as if her heart would break. And letting him go, she stood there weeping.
Then the future Buddha asked the bystanders, “Whose hearts are tender to babes? Those who have borne children, or those who have not ?”
And they answered, “Oh, Sire ! The hearts of mothers are tender.”
Then he said, “Who think you, is the mother ? She has the child in her arms, or she who has let go?”
And they said, “She who has let go is the mother.” And he said,” Then do you all think that the other was the thief ?”
And they answered, “Sire, we cannot tell”.
And he said, “Verify, this is a Yakshini, who took the child to eat it.”
And he replied, “Because her eyes winked not, and were red, and she knew no fear, and had no pity, I knew it.”
And so saying, he demanded of the thief, “Who are you ?”
And she said, “Lord, I am a Yakshini.”
And he asked, “Why did you take away this child ?”
And she said, “I thought to eat him, oh my Lord !”
And he rebuked her saying, “Oh foolish woman ! For your former sins you have been born a Yakshini, and now do you still sin ?” And he laid a vow upon her to keep the Five Commandments; and let her go.
But the mother of the child exalted the future Buddha and said, “Oh my Lord ! “Oh great physician! May your life be long !” And she went away with her babe clasped to her bosom.
(Note : Students can collect more stories from Internet.)