English Language & Literature — CBSE Class 10 board question

Kisa Gotami was a grief-stricken mother who refused to accept her son's death. Her journey from house to house in search of mustard-seed taught her several important moral values.

Universality of Death: She learnt that death comes to every household — "the living are few, but the dead are many." Death is the common destiny of all mortals, both young and old, wise and foolish.

Overcoming Selfishness: She realised she had been selfish in her grief. Sorrow is universal, and clinging to personal grief while ignoring others' suffering is a form of selfishness.

Acceptance brings Peace: The Buddha taught that weeping and lamentation do not save the dead; they only increase one's own pain. True peace comes by drawing out the arrow of grief and accepting life's terms.

Path to Immortality: She understood that surrendering selfishness leads to immortality. The wise do not grieve, knowing the inevitable nature of the world.

Source: The Story of Kisa Gotami, Chapter 8

---

• The examiner expects you to link the Buddha's quoted statement to the moral lessons Kisa Gotami learnt — don't just retell the story.
• Key moral values to name: acceptance of death as universal, selflessness, overcoming grief, peace of mind. Each point scores marks.
• Support each value with a brief phrase or quotation from the text.
• Stay within 120–150 words; using bold headings is a neat way to present 4–5 distinct values clearly.