The Sermon at Benares

She asks for medicine to cure her dead son. No, she does not get it because there is no medicine that can bring a dead person back to life.

She asks for a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one has died. She does not get it because she could not find a single house where no beloved had died. Death is inevitable and common to all.

She understood that death is common to all and she was being selfish in her grief. There is no house untouched by death. Yes, this is exactly what the Buddha wanted her to understand by sending her on that mission.

First time, she was consumed by personal grief and hope for a miracle. The second time, the practical experience of not finding a seed from a death-free house made her realize the universality of death. Buddha changed her understanding by letting her discover the truth herself rather than just preaching it.

'Selfishness' usually means caring only for oneself without regard for others. Kisa Gotami was 'selfish' in the sense that her absorption in her own tragedy made her forget that death is a natural law affecting everyone. She wanted to reverse the law of nature for her own child, which was an impossible and self-centered wish.

Active: He gave me a pen.
Passive 1: A pen was given to me by him.
Passive 2: I was given a pen by him.

1. Someone has stolen my purse. → My purse has been stolen. (Subject unknown/unimportant)
2. They refused him admission. → He was refused admission by them.
3. Open the door. → Let the door be opened.

Accused of, Afraid of, Agree with (person), Agree to (proposal), Angry with (person), Angry at (thing), Belong to, Died of (disease).

1. He is addicted _______ (to/of) smoking. (to)
2. Beware _______ (from/of) dogs. (of)
3. She is good _______ (in/at) English. (at)
4. We should rely _______ (on/in) God. (on)

Question: The chart shows the reading habits of students. Write a paragraph.

Answer:

The given chart illustrates the reading preferences of students in a secondary school. It is evident that the majority of students, about 40%, prefer reading fiction novels, suggesting a love for imagination and storytelling. Comic books come second with 25%, popular mostly among younger teens.

Biographies and non-fiction are less popular, accounting for only 15% and 10% respectively. This indicates that students read primarily for leisure rather than information. 10% of students do not read any books outside the syllabus. In conclusion, fiction remains the dominant genre among school students.