The Sermon at Benaras

Text I

Q.1. According to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, what should we do if we want a happier humanity?
If we want a happier humanity and a happy world, we must tackle the root of the problem, which lies within the human mind, rather than just focusing on economy or political power.

Q.2. Where does the ultimate cause of the problem lie?
The ultimate cause of the problem lies within the human mind.

Q.3. “What I call human feeling, then ‘it’ is very useful.” What is ‘it’ referred to here?
'It' refers to intelligence accompanied with human affection and compassion.

Q.4. Why does the Dalai Lama say that proper motivation is important?
He says proper motivation is important because every human action, whether verbal or physical, is driven by some motivation. If the motivation is positive and accompanied by compassion, the action becomes useful.

Q.5. Why is there a requirement of correlation between the intention of an individual and the interest of society?
There is a requirement of correlation because if society’s moral values and standards become negative, every individual suffers. Therefore, an individual's intentions directly impact the collective interest and well-being of society.

Q.6. What does His Holiness the Dalai Lama mean by “spiritual development”?
By "spiritual development," he does not mean it in a religious sense, but simply in the sense of having a good and compassionate heart.

Q.7. A compassionate heart brings —
(a) inner strength
(b) less fear
(c) less doubt (and makes one happier and more open-minded)

Reading Comprehension

Text II

Q.1. Why did Father Gilligan cry “my body spake, not I”?
Father Gilligan cried this because he was exhausted and overwhelmed by his duties. When he complained about having no rest, he immediately felt guilty. He meant that his physical exhaustion (his body) caused him to complain, not his true spirit or will to serve God.

Q.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.

Q.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?
The poet says he "rode with little care" to emphasize his haste and desperation. It does not mean he was reckless about safety in general; rather, he did not care about his own comfort or the danger of riding fast over rocky terrain because he was anxious to reach the sick man before he died, fearing he had failed in his duty by sleeping.

Q.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. (The text says "swayed to and fro" in grief).

Q.5. Why did Father Gilligan kneel down when he heard the sick man’s wife say “When you were gone...”?
He knelt down in gratitude and humility because he realized that God had sent an angel to take his place and minister to the dying man while he was asleep. He was overwhelmed by God's mercy.

Q.6. How did God help when “the least of things” was in need?
God helped by sending one of His great angels down to perform the priest's duties, ensuring the dying man received spiritual comfort ("as merry as a bird") while the exhausted priest slept.

Vocabulary

1. Antonyms for the words in the text ‘The Sermon at Benaras’ are given below. Find the words and fill in the blanks.
(a) unfit befitted
(b) joy grief / sorrow
(c) contentment desolation
(d) found lost
(e) cheered weary / lamented
(f) lively dead
(g) calm troubled

2. Use a dictionary to find out four words each having the meaning nearest to the ones given below.
(a) vow — oath pledge promise swear
(b) preach — sermonize teach deliver proclaim
(c) preserve — protect save maintain keep
(d) awaken — arouse wake stir activate
(e) enlighten — illuminate educate instruct inform
(f) reign — rule govern command prevail

Grammar

1. Read the passage (“Kisa Gotami had an only son, ... a child, husband, parent or friend.”) from the text, ‘The Sermon at Benaras’ (page 134). Rewrite the paragraphs changing the direct speech into reported speech in the space given below.
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 that the boy was dead.
At length, Kisa Gotami met a man who replied to her request that he could not give her medicine for her child, but he knew a physician who could.
And the girl requested him to tell her who it was. And the man replied and advised her to go to Sakyamuni, the Buddha.
Kisa Gotami went to the Buddha and cried out to him, requesting him to give her the medicine that would cure her boy.
The Buddha answered 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, husband, parent or friend.

2. Read the story given below. Change the direct speech into reported speech and rewrite the story in the space provided.
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 that swan was so white, and he was so black. He concluded that the swan must be the happiest bird in the world.
The swan replied that he had been feeling that he was the happiest bird around. But he thought the parrot was the happiest bird as it had two colours.
The crow then approached the parrot. The parrot said that he had only two colours, but the peacock had multiple colours.
The crow then visited a peacock in the zoo. The crow addressed the peacock and said that he was so beautiful. He added that every day, thousands of people came to see him and that he was the happiest bird on the planet.
The peacock said that he had always thought that he was the most beautiful and happy bird on the planet. But he was entrapped in that zoo. He said he had realised that the crow was the only bird not kept in a cage, and could happily roam everywhere.

Editing

1. There are some omissions in the paragraph given below. Edit the paragraph, use suitable prepositions and words.
One day, Prince Siddhartha was going to the royal gardens
on his way to the river. A flock of wild geese passed overhead.
Devadatta, the Prince’s cousin, shot an arrow into their midst
and one of the geese fell. It was wounded and fell 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 the
arrow very carefully from its body. He took the bird with him.
Devadatta sent a messenger to claim the bird. But Siddhartha
refused to give it. He said that it belonged to him because he
had saved 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?
The monument referred to is the Sanchi Stupa located in Madhya Pradesh. It portrays Buddhist art and sculpture.

(b) Who are the people who visit this Stupa throughout the year?
Thousands of visitors including national and foreign tourists, archaeologists, and historians visit the Stupa throughout the year.

(c) In which period the Stupa was built, and who commissioned it?
The Stupa was built during the Mauryan period (starting from the third century BC). It was originally commissioned by Emperor Ashoka.

(d) Where is the central chamber in the Stupa? What is kept inside it?
The central chamber is inside the huge hemispherical dome. The relics of Lord Buddha are placed inside it.

(e) What structures were added to the huge hemisphere in first century BCE?
Four ornamental gateways or toranas facing four directions and a balustrade surrounding the stupa were added.

(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 (✓) (Note: The text also mentions option d, but option b refers specifically to the illustrations on the toranas).

Writing

1. Write a paragraph on how you can help others who are in grief.
Helping someone in grief requires patience and empathy. First, we must understand that everyone grieves differently; some may want to talk while others prefer silence. We should reach out to them gently, letting them know we are there for support without forcing them to accept help. Simply listening to their thoughts and feelings or reminiscing about the lost loved one can be very healing. Practical help, like handling daily chores, is often more useful than words. The most important thing is to offer a comforting presence, perhaps just holding their hand, to show them they are not alone in their time of sorrow.

2. Two poems are given in the textbook... Write the summary of each poem.
Summary of Kahlil Gibran's "Joy and Sorrow":
The poet suggests that joy and sorrow are inseparable and come from the same source. The "selfsame well" that yields laughter is often filled with tears. He argues that the deeper sorrow carves into one's being, the more capacity one has to contain joy. He uses the metaphor of a cup burned in an oven and a lute hollowed by knives to show that suffering creates the capacity for happiness. Ultimately, when we are happy, we are enjoying what once caused us sorrow, and when we grieve, we are weeping for what was once our delight.

Summary of Rabindra Nath Tagore's poem:
Tagore offers a perspective of hope and gratitude in the face of death. He advises us not to say in grief that a person "is no more," but rather to speak in thankfulness that "she was." He reframes death not as an end (extinguishing a light) but as a transition—putting out the lamp because the dawn has come. This suggests that death is a waking up to a new, brighter existence, and we should cherish the memory of the life lived rather than just mourning its loss.