Page 2 - LN3- MODULE-SERMON AT BENARES

Wandered- to move without a fixed course

Vowed- solemnly promise to do a specified thing

Preached- deliver a religious address to an assembled group of people

Sermon- a talk on religious or moral subject

Holy- sacred

Dipping places- bathing

Inscrutable- something which cannot be understood

Kinsmen- a man who is one of a person’s blood relation

Lamenting- express regret or disappointment about something

Slaughter- killing of animals for food

Afflicted- affect adversely

The Sermon at Benares- Introduction

The Sermon at Benares throws light upon the early life of Lord Buddha who was originally
born as a prince in the royal family. On being exposed to the sufferings of the world which
he was earlier shielded from, he left his prince hood and went in search of salvation thus
leaving all the worldly pleasures behind. Upon attaining spiritual awakening, he gave his first
sermon in the city of Benares hereby making a lady named Kisa Gotami realise that men are
mortals and a wise person should not grieve at what is bound to happen for it only
enhances pain and suffering.

Key points

 This lesson tells us about the life of Gautama Buddha, who was born in a royal family
as Siddhartha.
 Once he saw a funeral processing, and monk begging for the alms.
 These sights moved them a lot and he decided to become a monk and started moving
in search of enlightenment.
 He started meditation under a peepal tree and after seven days he got enlightenment
and he became known as the Buddha (the Awakened or the Enlightened).
 He preached his first sermon at Benares.
 Once a woman came to him requesting to bring her dead son to life.
 Gautama Buddha asked the lady to bring handful of mustard seeds from the house
were there had been no death.
 The lady moved from one house to another but she could not find a single house
where no one has lost a child, husband, parents or friend.
 Then she came to know that death common to all and is the ultimate truth.