CBSE Term II English Language & Literature 10th
our deepest grief.” And there was no house but
some beloved one had died in it.
CBSE Question Bank 2021
(i) The community’s response to Kisa in the above
extract was somewhat different from before. Why
do you think that was the case?
(a) They had learnt from Buddha’s sermons.
(b) They were able to help Kisa in some way this time.
(c) They understood parental grief.
(d) They liked Kisa and enjoyed talking to her.
Ans. (b) The community’s was different from before because
this time they were able to help Kisa in some way; they
could give her handful of mustard seeds. However, due to
Buddha’s condition, she could not take them.
(ii) Which of the following options represent the
correct understanding of the word ‘poor’ in the
phrase “Poor Kisa Gotami”?
(a) In need of money (b) Weak
(c) Unfortunate (d) Inferior
Ans. (c) ‘Unfortunate’ represents the correct understanding of
word ‘poor’ in the phrase ‘Poor Kisa Gotami’.
(iii) “Do not remind us of our deepest grief.” The tone
of the speaker(s) is
(a) disillusioned (b) sceptical
(c) ironic (d) solemn
Ans. (d) The tone of the speaker in given line is solemn, i.e.,
serious.
(iv) Pick the option that explains — ‘…the living are
few, but the dead are many.’
(a) It shows the high death rate and low birth rate in the city
of Benares.
(b) It highlights the holy status of Benares where many
Hindus go to die.
(c) It throws light on the numerous loved ones the villagers
had lost over time.
(d) It reflects that many children who had died in the village
for various reasons.
Ans. (c) “The living are few, but the dead are many” throws light
on the fact the villagers had lost numerous loved ones over
time.
(v) Imagine you are a photo journalist visiting the city
at the time Kisa Gotami went from house to house.
You documented her experience given in the above
extract in a photo series.
Your publisher wants to publish the photo series in
three parts wherein Part 1 shows Kisa’s visits to the
houses; Part 2 depicts her conversations with
people, and Part 3 captures Kisa’s reflections at the
end of the day sitting by the wayside.
The publisher would also like you to choose titles
for the series and its three parts.
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Look at the titles given below, and choose the options
that provide the most appropriate set of titles.
(1) Series Title – From Darkness to Light.
Part I – Living in Loss; Part II – A Mother’s Journey;
Part III – Mustard Seed
(2) Series Title – Mustard Seed.
Part I – A Mother’s Journey; Part II – From Darkness
to Light; Part III – Living in Loss
(3) Series Title – A Mother’s Journey.
Part I – Mustard Seed; Part II – Living in Loss; Part
III – From Darkness to Light
(4) Series Title – Living in Loss.
Part I – From Darkness to Light; Part II – Mustard
Seed; Part III – A Mother’s Journey
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 1 and 4
Ans. (b) 2 and 3
PART 2
Subjective Questions
! Short Answer Type Questions
1. What do you know about the early life of Buddha?
Ans. The early life of Buddha was filled with royal pleasure
and happiness. Lord Buddha was born in a royal family as
Siddhartha Gautama. At the age of twelve, he was sent
away for schooling in Hindu sacred scriptures. Four years
later, he got married to a princess and had a son.
2. What was the effect of observing the sufferings of
the world on Buddha?
Ans. The sights of suffering sick man, old man, funeral process
and a beggar had a deep impact on Buddha. He was so
affected by the sufferings that he at once left his royal life
in search of enlightenment and an understanding of the
world around him.
3. What did the Buddha do after he had attained
enlightenment?
Ans. After the Buddha had attained enlightenment, he started
teaching and sharing his new understandings. He spread
his preachings far and wide so that people could come to
know the truth. He wanted people to understand the
world so that they could live peacefully.
4. When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to
house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why
not? NCERT
Ans. When Kisa Gotami’s son died, she went from house to
house, and asked for some medicine that would cure her
child.
No, she did not get it because her child was dead and
no medicine could have brought him back to life.
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5. Kisa Gotami again goes from house to house after
she speaks with the Buddha. What does she ask for,
the second time around? Does she get it? Why not?
NCERT
Ans. After talking to Lord Buddha, Kisa Gotami again went
house to house to get mustard seed from a family wherein
no one has died.
No, Kisa Gotami could not get anything because there is
no person or family in the world wherein there has been
no death. Everyone has faced the loss of a beloved
member.
6. What does Kisa Gotami understand the second time
that she failed to understand the first time? Was this
what the Buddha wanted her to understand? NCERT
Ans. Kisa Gotami understood the second time that death is
common to all. She understood that she was being selfish
in her grief. There was no house where some beloved had
not died.
Yes, this was what the Buddha wanted her to understand.
7 According to Kisa Gotami, what is the greatest grief
of life? CBSE 2014
Ans. According to Kisa Gotami, the greatest grief in life is the
death of one’s loved ones. Therefore, instead of lamenting
on it, the wise should accept the truth of death. Weeping
will only increase the pain and disturb the peace of mind
of a person.
8. How did Kisa Gotami realise that life and death is a
process? CBSE 2016,2019
Ans. Kisa Gotami realised that life and death is a normal
process when she went from house to house but was
unable to find one house where nobody had died. It was
when she sat down that she realised that death is common
to everyone. Those who are born will die one day.
9. According to Buddha, who are wise men?
Ans. According to Buddha, wise men are those people who never
complain or lament over their loss. They accept the truth
and move on such people are calm and composed. They
lead a blessed and peaceful life.
10. How do you usually understand the idea of
‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that
she was being ‘selfish in her grief ’? NCERT
Ans. I usually understand the idea of selfishness as being
concerned only about one’s own interests. I also
understand it to mean showing complete disregard for
others’ interests.
Yes, I agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being ‘selfish in
her grief ’. In her son’s death, she was unable to see that
death is something that strikes all living beings.
11. Elucidate any one quality that Siddhartha
demonstrated when he gave up his status and family.
Explain your choice.
CBSE Question Bank 2021
CBSE Term II English Language & Literature 10th
Ans. Siddhartha demonstrated compassion, kindness and his
determination in his decision to leave behind his family
and prince hood. He felt sympathetic towards others.
He was disturbed to see people’s sufferings and wanted
to find out a solution to eradicate their sufferings and
diseases.
12. Do you think being enlightened placed a far
greater responsibility on the Buddha than being
king would have? Justify your stance.
CBSE Question Bank 2021
Ans. Yes, enlightenment placed far greater responsibilities
than being a king would have on Buddha. As a king, he
was more concerned with the physical well-being of only
his countrymen but now he had an obligation to take
care of the whole of humanity.
As Buddha, he owed the responsibility of preaching and
educating the people about the truth that he had
realised.
! Long Answer Type Questions
1. Describe the journey of Siddhartha Gautama
becoming the Buddha. CBSE 2020
Ans. Gautama Buddha was born in 563 BC in a royal family.
His name was Siddhartha Gautama. At the age of twelve,
he was sent away for schooling. He studied all the sacred
Hindu scriptures. At the age of sixteen, he married a
princess and later they had a son. He lived a royal life for
ten years and was shielded from the sufferings of the
world.
However, when he was twenty five, he saw a sick man,
then an aged man and a funeral procession. Finally, he
came across a monk begging for alms. This was his first
encounter with the harsh realities of life. These sights
made him so sad that he decided to renounce the worldly
pleasures. He left his family and became a monk. He
went out into the world to seek spiritual knowledge.
Siddhartha Gautama wandered for seven years in search
of wisdom and truth. Finally, he sat down under a big
peepal tree to mediate. He vowed to stay there until he
got enlightenment. After seven days, Gautama got
enlightenment. He became known as ‘The Buddha’
which means ‘enlightened’ or ‘the awakened’. He began
to teach and spread his message of wisdom and truth.
2. Life is full of trials and tribulations. Kisa Gotami
also passes through a period of grief in her life.
How does she behave in those circumstances?
or Why did Gotami go to the Buddha? What lesson
did he teach her? CBSE 2019
or How did the Buddha make Kisa Gotami realise the
reality of death? CBSE 2020
Ans. After the death of Kisa Gotami’s only child, she became
very sad. She carried her dead child to her neighbours in
CBSE Term II English Language & Literature 10th
order to get medicine to bring him to life. Her neighbours
thought that she had gone insane as she was unable to
accept the fact that her child is dead. It was then that
someone suggested her to meet Gautama Buddha.
When she met Gautama Buddha, he gave her an exercise
to do. She was asked to collect mustard seeds from a
house where no one had ever died. She went from one
house to another but was unable to find a single house in
the town where no one had died. This way she realised
that death is a part of life and anyone who is born is
bound to die one day.
Thus, Buddha changed her understanding of death by
this exercise. Buddha told her that only the wise do not
grieve and they accept the reality. Mourning brings only
pain and sufferings to the body. One, who is composed,
obtains peace of mind and will be free from sorrow and
be blessed. This gave her strength to overcome grief.
3. Through the story of Kisa Gotami what did the
Buddha try to preach to the common man?
CBSE 2020
Ans. The lesson on death and suffering that Buddha taught
Gotami was that, these are part and parcel of life. No one
can avoid this truth. One has to meet one’s destined end
one day. Whoever has come into this world will die one
day. Thus, in the hour of grief for a loved one who has
died, one must remain calm and composed. Then one
doesn’t occupy himself with grief. Otherwise, they will
feel the pain more.
However, those persons who are wise never complain or
lament over their loss. They never try to bring back to life
their loved ones who are dead, as Gotami wanted to do.
They accept the truth and overcome their sorrow. Persons
who overcome their sorrow will be blessed. So, wisdom is
in the fact that people should not get distressed with pain,
suffering or death.
4. What lesson did Kisa Gotami learn the second
time that she had failed to learn the first time?
CBSE 2020
Ans. Kisa Gotami had lost her only son and in grief, she
carried her dead son to all her neighbours to get him
cured and restored back to life. Finally, she went to
the Buddha asking him for medicine to cure her boy.
The Buddha felt that she needed to be enlightened
about the truth of life that death and sorrow are
inseperable.
He could see that grief had blinded her, and it would be
difficult for her to accept the truth. So, the Buddha told
her to procure mustard seeds from a house where none
had died. Kisa Gotami went door to door. Then, she
realised that there was no house where no one had died
and that death is common to all.
She came back to the Buddha where he told her that life
in this world is troubled and filled with sorrows. He gave
her examples of ripe fruits and earthen vessels whose
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‘lives’ are short. This way he made her realise the second
time that death is unavoidable and none even the near
and dear ones can save anyone from death.
! Extract Based Questions
1. Read the extract to attempt the questions that follow.
He wandered for seven years and finally sat down
under a peepal tree, where he vowed to stay until
enlightenment came. Enlightened after seven days,
he renamed the tree the Bodhi Tree and began to
teach and to share his new understandings. At that
point he became known as the Buddha.
(i) What was the name of the peepal tree under which
Buddha sat?
(ii) What did Siddhartha do while sitting under the tree?
(iii) Find the exact word from the extract which means
‘solemnly promise to do a specified thing’.
(iv) After how many days Siddhartha got enlightenment?
(v) Siddhartha come to known as ………… after
enlightenment.
Ans. (i) The name of the peepal tree under which Buddha sat
was Bodhi Tree.
(ii) Siddhartha began to teach and share his new
understandings while sitting under the tree.
(iii) ‘Vowed’ from the extract means ‘solemnly promise to
do a specific thing’.
(iv) Siddhartha got enlightenment after seven days of his
vow that he would sit until enlightenment came.
(v) Siddhartha came to know as Gautama Buddha after
enlightenment.
2. Read the extract to attempt the questions that
follow.
The Buddha preached his first sermon at the city of
Benares, most holy of the dipping places on the
River Ganges; that sermon has been preserved and
is given here. It reflects the Buddha’s wisdom about
one inscrutable kind of suffering.
(i) Where did Buddha preach his first sermon?
(ii) What does the sermon preached by Buddha reflect?
(iii) Find the exact word from the extract which means
‘impossible to understand’.
(iv) How Benares is described in the lesson?
(v) What do you understand by the term Buddha?
Ans. (i) Buddha preached his first sermon at Benares.
(ii) It reflects Buddha’s wisdom about one inscrutable
kind of suffering.
(iii) ‘Inscrutable’ from the extract means ‘impossible to
understand’.
(iv) Benares is described in the lesson as the holiest of the
dipping places on the river Ganges.
(v) Buddha means the awakened or the enlightened.