NCERT · Class 10 · English · First Flight: The Sermon at BenaresHow does Gautama Buddha compare human life to earthen vessels and ripe fruits in his sermon?

Gautama Buddha uses vivid metaphors of ripe fruits and earthen vessels to explain the inevitable nature of human mortality. He explains that just as ripe fruits are constantly in danger of falling early, mortals born into this world are always in danger of death. Furthermore, he compares human life to earthen vessels made by a potter, which all ultimately end in being broken. Through these simple yet powerful analogies, Buddha emphasizes that death is an absolute law of nature. Young and old, wise and foolish alike are all subject to the power of death, and no human effort or grief can alter this fundamental reality of existence.