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.

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 truth.

Discussion:

1. What was Buddha trying to teach Kisagotami?

Explanation: Kishagotami had lost her son so she was taken to Buddha. He asked Kishagotami to get mustard from a house where no one had died. She found no such house. Buddha wanted to convey her that death is a natural thing one must not lose hopes after losing a loved one. This teaching is very important even today.

How did the Beggar convince sages to share food with them?

Explanation: The sages worshipped the universal soul. The beggar proved that he was also a part of universal soul, hence the sages shared food with him. This teaches us that we must respect every living being because we are part of universal soul or Brahman.

2. One should renounce worldly pleasure in search of truth.

Explanation: Both Jainism and Buddhism teaches that, in the search of truth one must reject all worldly pleasures. Buddha believed that life is full of sufferings and unhappiness because of our cravings and desires. Buddha termed it as tanha or thirst.