34 Questions
What did the Buddha do after sitting down under the peepal tree for seven days?
Renamed the tree as the Bodhi Tree
What caused Kisa Gotami to ask for medicine from her neighbors?
Her only son had died
Where did the Buddha preach his first sermon?
In the city of Benares
What led to the Buddha being known as 'the Awakened' or 'the Enlightened'?
His enlightenment experience after seven days
What did Kisa Gotami do with her dead child?
Asked her neighbors for medicine
How did the Buddha name the Bodhi Tree?
'Tree of Wisdom'
What did the man suggest Kisa Gotami do to find medicine for her child?
To visit the Buddha
What did the Buddha ask Kisa Gotami to bring in order to cure her boy?
A handful of mustardseed
What event prompted GAUTAMA Buddha to seek enlightenment?
Witnessing a monk begging for alms
How did GAUTAMA Buddha's encounter with suffering lead him to seek enlightenment?
He wanted to understand the sorrows he witnessed
Why was Kisa Gotami unable to find the mustardseed needed from the houses she visited?
Each house had experienced a loss of a loved one
What was GAUTAMA Buddha's original name before he became known as Buddha?
Siddhartha Gautama
How did people in the houses react when Kisa Gotami mentioned her purpose for needing the mustardseed?
They refused to help her and turned her away
How did GAUTAMA Buddha's exposure to suffering change his life?
He left his royal life to seek enlightenment
What realization did Kisa Gotami have after wandering from house to house for the mustardseed?
She was selfish in her grief
What was GAUTAMA Buddha's initial reaction upon witnessing suffering?
He was deeply moved and sought enlightenment
Why did people pity Kisa Gotami as she went from house to house?
Because they felt sorry for her situation
How did GAUTAMA Buddha's encounter with different life situations impact him?
It led him to leave his princely life and seek answers
What does Kisa Gotami ask for when her son dies?
Medicine for her child
Why does Kisa Gotami not get what she asks for?
Every house she visited had experienced a death
How is combining sentences with semicolons illustrated in the text?
By providing the speaker's opinion on the first clause
Based on the text, what is the significance of rephrasing old-fashioned language into current language?
To make it easier to understand for modern readers
What is the main theme associated with Kisa Gotami's actions after her son's death?
Desperation and grief
How do semicolons or dashes help in combining clauses?
They allow for a smoother transition between clauses
What is the main theme of the text?
Navigating through grief and sorrow
What advice did the Buddha give to the grief-stricken woman?
To understand that joy and sorrow are interconnected
What is the significance of the following statement: 'Your joy is your sorrow unmasked'?
Joy and sorrow are two sides of the same coin
In context, what does the line 'It is not the cup that holds your wine, but the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven' symbolize?
The impermanence of material possessions
Based on the text, what lesson can be inferred from the imagery of 'hollowed wood with knives'?
The impact of harsh words on one's spirit
Which emotion does Khalil Gibran associate with being 'joyous'?
Laughter and tears combined
How does Tagore's extract emphasize the idea of gratitude?
'...not in grief that she is no more but in thankfulness that she was'
'Some say, 'Joy is greater than sorrow,' and others say, 'Nay, sorrow is the greater.' But I say unto you, they are inseparable.' - What does this quote imply?
'Joy and sorrow are intertwined'
'Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.' - What does this quote suggest?
'Both joy and sorrow are ever-present'
'Death is not the extinguishing of a light but the putting out of the lamp because the dawn has come.' - What idea does this quote convey?
'Death marks a new beginning'
Study Notes
Gautama Buddha's Life
- Born as a prince named Siddhartha Gautama in northern India around 563 B.C.
- At 12, he was sent away for schooling in Hindu sacred scriptures.
- At 16, he married a princess and lived a life of royalty for 10 years.
- At 25, he encountered the sufferings of the world while out hunting, which led him to seek enlightenment.
- He wandered for 7 years, then sat under a peepal tree, where he finally achieved enlightenment.
The Story of Kisa Gotami
- Kisa Gotami's only son died, and she was grief-stricken.
- She carried her dead son to all her neighbors, asking for medicine to cure him.
- They all pitied her and said, "She has lost her senses."
- A man told her to see Sakyamuni, the Buddha, who asked for a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had died.
- Kisa Gotami went from house to house, but no one could provide the mustard seeds, as everyone had experienced loss.
The Buddha's Teaching
- The Buddha preached his first sermon at the city of Benares, a holy city on the River Ganges.
- He taught about the suffering of men and how their lives are fleeting, like lights that flicker up and are extinguished.
Selfishness and Sorrow
- Kisa Gotami realized that her grief was selfish, as everyone else had also experienced loss.
- The Buddha's teaching helped her to understand the true nature of suffering and the fleeting nature of life.
The Importance of Perspective
- The Buddha's sermon at Benares emphasized the importance of understanding the impermanence of life and the inevitability of suffering.
- This understanding can help people to develop a more profound sense of compassion and empathy for others.
Test your knowledge on the story of Kisa Gotami seeking medicine for her dead child from the Buddha. Explore the tale where Buddha asks for a handful of mustardseed to cure the boy.
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