THE SERMON AT BENARES
BY BETTY RENSHAW
CHAPTER SKETCH
‘The Sermon at Benares’ is a chapter written by Betty Renshaw. The chapter covers the journey of Gautama Buddha from princehood to his saintly life. After observing the suffering of the world, he decided to give up all worldly pleasures and sought enlightenment. He finally attained salvation under a tree in Bodhgaya. His first sermon was delivered at the bank of the Ganges.
Buddha as a Prince
Gautama Buddha was born as a prince named Siddhartha Gautama in Northern India. At twelve, he was sent for schooling in Hindu sacred scriptures. Four years later, he returned home and got married to a princess. They had a son. They lived a royal life for ten years.
Gautama Feels Sufferings of the World
He was protected from the sufferings of the world. One day he saw a sick man, an old man, a funeral procession and a monk begging for money and food. This moved Buddha and he went out to seek enlightenment.
Gautama Seeks Enlightenment
He travelled aimlessly for seven years and then he stayed under a Peepal tree until he attained enlightenment. After seven days, he got enlightened and renamed the tree as ‘Bodhi Tree’ ( Tree of Wisdom). There, he began to teach and share his knowledge and became to be known as Buddha.
Buddha Gives His First Sermon
Buddha preached his first sermon at the city of Benares. It is the holiest of the dipping places on the river Ganges. This sermon reflects Buddha’s wisdom about the kind of suffering that is impossible to interpret.
Kisa Gotami’s Story
Kisa Gotami had only one son who had died. She carried her dead son in her arms and went door to door asking for medicines for her dead son. The neighbours pitied her but could not help her as her son was dead. They were helpless as Kisa and couldn’t go against the will of God. Finally, somebody suggested that she should go to the Sakyamuni, the Buddha. Kisa Gotami went to meet Gautama Buddha. Gautama told her to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where death had never knocked at the door. Kisa thought that it was a very easy task. She went to all the houses in the village but couldn’t find a single house where death had not taken a beloved away.She sat down, hopeless and tired. She soon realised that she was being very selfish in her grief. Death is common to all.
Buddha’s Reply to Kisa Gotami
The life of mortals is troubled, brief and combined with pain. It is not possible to avoid death. As the ripe fruits are in danger of falling, as the earthen vessels made by the potter break, similarly, the mortals have the danger of death. Wise men and fools, all fall in the power of death. Only the wise do not grieve and they accept the reality. All weeping and grieving will bring more pain and suffering to the body. One who is composed, will obtain peace of mind and will be free from sorrow and be blessed.
Theme of the Story
Kisa Gotami goes from one house to another to get some medicine to revive her dead son. For the love of her child, she failed to realise that once a person is dead, he cannot be revived. People only pity at her agony because they know that no medicine can bring life back in her child. After speaking with the Buddha, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house to get a handful of mustard seeds from a house in which nobody ever died. Since death is an imminent fact and is integral to the life cycle, so Kisa Gotami does not get mustard seeds. Eventually, she understood that everyone who has come into this world is going to die sooner or later. By sending her to different houses, Buddha wanted her to realize the fragility of human life. In a practical manner, Buddha taught her an important lesson.
Short Answer Questiions
Word Meanings