The Sermon at Benares

The Sermon at Benares Summary

The Sermon at Benares Summary

The lesson narrates the story of Gautama Buddha, who began his life as Prince Siddhartha in northern India. After being shielded from the world’s sufferings, he ventured out of his palace and encountered a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession, and a monk begging for alms. Moved by these sights, he renounced his royal life and went in search of enlightenment. After attaining enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, he became known as Buddha and delivered his first sermon at Benares.

The Incident Reflecting Buddha’s Wisdom

The sermon focuses on an incident that reflects Buddha’s wisdom about the nature of suffering. Kisa Gotami, a woman grieving the death of her only son, approaches Buddha and asks for medicine to cure her child. Buddha instructs her to obtain a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one has ever lost a child, husband, parent, or friend.

Kisa Gotami goes from house to house, but soon realizes that there is no household untouched by death. She recognizes the universality of death and returns to Buddha, who delivers a profound sermon on the nature of life and loss:

Key Teachings from Buddha’s Sermon

  • Mortals are subject to death, and their lives are fleeting and combined with pain. No one can escape death, regardless of age or wisdom.
  • The world is afflicted with death and decay, and those who understand this truth do not grieve, as they know the nature of the world.
  • Weeping and lamenting will not bring peace of mind; instead, one must draw out the arrow of lamentation, complaint, and grief. Only by becoming composed and overcoming sorrow can one attain peace and be blessed.

Through this sermon, Buddha helps Kisa Gotami understand that death is a part of life and that grieving is futile. The lesson emphasizes the importance of rising above individual selfishness and attachment to find peace in the face of the universal reality of death and loss.

The Path to Freedom from Sorrow

Buddha’s sermon teaches that suffering is an inherent part of mortal life and that the path to freedom from sorrow lies in accepting this truth and letting go of attachments. The story of Kisa Gotami serves as a powerful example of how one can find solace and understanding in the midst of grief by embracing the wisdom of Buddha’s teachings.

Difficult Words from “The Sermon at Benares”

Afflicted with (adj.): affected by or suffering from something unpleasant or painful.

Alms (n.): charitable donations, especially of food or money to the poor.

Befitted (v): to be appropriate or suitable for someone, typically because of their status or position.

Bodhi Tree (n): the fig tree under which Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment and became Buddha.

Chanced upon (v): encountered or met by chance or accident.

Desolation (n): a state of extreme sorrow, grief, or loneliness.

Dipping places (n): places along a river where people take ritual baths.

Earthen vessels (n): containers or pots made from clay.

Enlightenment (n): the state of having achieved spiritual knowledge or insight, especially in Buddhism.

Heretofore (adv): until this time; previously.

Inscrutable (adj): impossible to understand or interpret.

Kinsmen (n): family members or close relatives.

Lamentation (n): the passionate expression of grief or sorrow; weeping.

Mortals (n): human beings, especially in contrast to gods or divine beings.

Peepal tree (n): another name for the Bodhi tree, a species of fig tree native to the Indian subcontinent.

Procure (v): to obtain or get something, often with care or effort.

Repaired (v): in this context, it means “went” or “proceeded.”

Sakyamuni (n): a title of Buddha, meaning “sage of the Sakya clan.”

Sermon (n): a talk on a religious or moral subject, usually given by a religious leader.

Slaughter (n): the killing of animals for food or the brutal killing of people.

Subject to (adj): likely to experience or undergo something, often something unpleasant or inconvenient.

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