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Q.1 Describe the ways in which the Buddha tried to spread his message to the people?
Solution: The Buddha tried to spread his message to the people in the following ways:
1. He conveyed his teaching in the Prakrit language, which was the language of the common masses.
2. He encouraged his followers to think over his messages, instead of blindly following them. This helped his ideals spread further. The encouragement of free-thinking meant that people could come to conclusions based on his ideas, on their own.
Q.2 Write whether true or false:
Solution: a) False
Buddha professed kindness for animals. He discouraged the practice of sacrificing animals.
(b) True
Sarnath is where Buddha taught for the first time after enlightenment. He attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya.
(c) False
Karma means action or the work we do. Buddha believed that Karma affects our current and next lives.
(d) True
Buddha did meditation for several days under a Peepal (Banyan) tree in Bodh Gaya, where he attained enlightenment.
(e) True
Atman means individual soul, whereas Brahman means universal soul. Those who follow the Upanishads believed that Atman and Brahman were the same.
Q.3 What were the questions Upanishadic thinkers wanted to answer?
Solution: The Upanishadic thinkers wanted to find answers to the following questions:
The questions that Upanishadic thinkers wanted answers to were about life after death, reasons for sacrifices. Many of these thinkers felt that there was something permanent in the universe that would last even after death.
4. Is there something permanent in the Universe, which lasts even after death?
Q.4 What were the main teachings of Mahavira?
Solutions: The following are the main teachings of Mahavira:
1. Those who wish to know the truth must leave his/her home.
2. Those who are on the path of truth must adhere to the principles of Ahimsa (Non-violence), very strictly.
3. One must not hurt or kill any other living being, as life is dear to all.
Q.5 Why do you think Anagha’s mother wanted her to know the story of the Buddha?
Solution: Anagha was travelling to Varanasi on a school trip. Sarnath is a place in Varanasi, where Buddha taught for the first time after attaining enlightenment in Bodh Gaya. The story and message of Buddha were inspiring, and hence Anagha’s mother wanted her to know the story of Buddha.
Q.6 Do you think it would have been easy for slaves to join the Sangha? Give reasons for your answer.
Solution: Everyone except men had to take permission from his/her master before joining the Sangha. Children had to take permission from their masters, servants had to take permission from the Kings, the wives from their husbands and the slaves from their masters.
It wouldn’t have been easy for the slaves to join the sangha because:
1. Slaves had little to no rights.
2. It was not necessary that a slave would get a kind master
3. Since society, in general, depended on slaves to do their tasks for them, there was no incentive for masters to give permission for their slaves to join the Sangha.
Q.7 Make a list of at least five ideas and questions mentioned in this lesson. Choose three from the list and discuss why you think they are important even today.
Solution:
The Ideas and questions mentioned in the chapter are the following:
Questions:
1. Is there a life after death?
2. What was Buddha trying to teach Kisagotami?
3. How did the beggar convince sages to share food with them?
Ideas:
4. One should follow the principle of ahimsa.
5. One should renounce worldly pleasure in search of the truth.
Discussion:
1. What was Buddha trying to teach Kisagotami?
Explanation: Kishagotami had lost her son, so she was taken to Buddha. He requested Kishagotami to get mustard seeds from a house where no one had died. She found no such house, as someone – a son, daughter, father, grandfather or grandmother had died in all of those houses. Buddha wanted to convey to her that death is a part of the cycle of life and nothing can be done to avoid it. One must not lose hope after losing a loved one. This teaching is very important even today.
2. How did the Beggar convince sages to share food with them?
Explanation: The sages worshiped the universal soul. The sages shared food with the beggar as he proved that he too was part of the universal soul. This shows that we must respect every living being as we are all a part of the universal soul or Brahman.
3.. One should renounce worldly pleasure in search of the truth.
Explanation: Both Jainism and Buddhism teach that in the search of the truth one must reject all worldly pleasures and material wealth. Buddha believed that life is full of suffering and unhappiness because of our desires.
Q.8 Find out more about men and women who renounce the world today. Where do they live, what clothes do they wear, what do they eat? Why do they renounce the world?
Solution: Prepare this with the help of your subject teacher.