How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being ‘selfish in her grief’?
Model Answer & Options
Source: TextbookSelfishness usually means thinking only about our own needs and not others'. I agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being selfish in her grief. In her pain, she forgot that death is universal and only focused on her loss. The Buddha helped her realise that others suffer too, and understanding this helped her let go of her sorrow.
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This is just one question from the topic "The Sermon at Benares".
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What is a sermon? Is it different from a lecture or a talk? Can this word also be used in a negative way or as a joke (as in “my mother’s sermon about getting my work done on time…”)?
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Have you heard of the Sermon on the Mount? Who delivered it? Who do you think delivered a sermon at Benares?
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When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?
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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?
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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?