Buddha was born about 2500 years ago.
The social conditions were as follow:
• This was a time of rapid change in the lives of people.
• Some kings in the mahajanapadas were growing more powerful. New cities were developing and life was changing in the viI/ages as well.

The Buddha taught in Prakrit language because:
• Prakrit was the language of ordinary people, so people could understand the teachings of the Buddha and his followers.
• There were several forms of Prakrit, used in different parts of the country and named after the regions in which they were used.

The list of five ideas and questions mentioned in this lesson is given below:
(i) What was the language used to compose Vedas?
(ii) What do the Buddhist texts tell us?
(iii) What was Buddha trying to teach the sorrowing Kisagotami?
(iv) What are the varnas mentioned in the ashrama system ? Were all four varnas allowed to participate in the ashramas?
(v) How did the beggar convince the sages to share their food?
Discussion
(i) The language used to compose Vedas was Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the main language of all ancient languages.
(ii) The Buddhist texts tell us that the varna, rank and family will be forgotten if the followers of Buddha will join the order of monks.
(iii) Buddha was trying to teach the sorrowing Kisagotami that death is the part of life and there is life after death.

Anagha's mother wanted her to know the story of the Buddha because Anagha was going on school trip. They boarded the train from Pune to go all the way to Varanasi. Anagha's mother especially told the teacher to take them to see Sarnath and tell the children about the great religious leader, Buddha.

The questions which Upanishadic thinkers wanted to answer were:
(i) They wanted to know why sacrifices should be performed.
(ii) They believed that there was something permanent in the universe that would last even after death. They described this as 'atman' or individual soul.
(iii)They wanted to know about life after death.
(iv) They believed that ultimately both the atman and the brahman were one.

(i)Karle, present-day Maharashtra
(ii)Monks and nuns lived and meditated in these caves or shelters.

(i)The monument in the picture is Buddhist Stupa at Sarnath.
(ii)Stupa was built to mark the place where the Buddha first taught his message.

The main teachings of the Buddha are:
(i) The Buddha taught that life is full of suffering and unhappiness. This is caused because we have cravings and desires (which cannot be fulfilled).
(ii) Sometimes, even if we get what we desire, we are not satisfied (permanently) and want (or desire) ever more and more (or other things). The Buddha described this as thirst or tanha.
(iii) The Buddha taught that thirst or tanha or constant craving could be removed by following moderation everything.
(iv) He also taught people to be kind and to respect the lives of others, including animals.
(v) The Buddha believed that the results of our actions (called karma), whether good or bad, affect us both in this life and the next.
(vi) He also encouraged people to think for themselves rather than to simply what he (the Buddha) said.
(vii) The Buddha taught in Prakrit, which was the language of the ordinary people, so that everybody could understand his message.