History of India

Q.71  Which of these schools was the first to make faces and figures of the Buddha?

(a)      Gandhara

(b)      Mathura

(c)      Pahari

(d)      Malwa

Solution: (b)

 While the earlier Buddhists had used only symbols to depict the Buddha, the Mathura school became the first to make faces and figures of the Buddha.

Folklores such as the Jatakas were drawn out in long panels on rock faces. Besides the images of Buddha, which

were made in large numbers, statues of Mahavira were also produced.

Learning: Mathura, which was the centre of the indigenous school of art, was also influenced by the invasions. A number of images from here of terracotta and red sandstone, which have definite Saka-Kushan influence, have survived. The most famous is the headless statue of Kanishka from Mathura.

Q.72  Consider the following statements.

1.      TheAnguttaraNikaya,apartofAbhidhammaPitaka,containsthematicallylinkeddiscoursesof Buddha.

2.       The Majjhima Nikaya, a segment of Vinaya Pitaka,contains the smallest discourses given by the Buddha to his close disciples.

Which of the above is/arecorrect?

(a)      1only

(b)      2only

(c)      Both 1 and 2

(d)      None

Solution: (d)

Q.73  With reference to Buddhist disciples, consider the following.

1.       Sariputta was a chief female disciple of Gautama Buddha.

2.       Khema, who joinedthe Buddhist Sangha, wasoneofthequeensof King Bimbisara.

3.       Moggallana, a disciple of Buddha was known for his psychic powers.

4.       King AjatasatruofMagadha and King Prasenajitof Kosala became Buddha’s disciples. Select the correct answer using the codes below.

(a)      1and2only

(b)      3and4only

(c)      2, 3 and 4only

(d)      1 and 3 only

Solution: (c)

Q.74  Buddhamitra was known for?

1.       Writing virasoliyam which is a work on Tamil Grammar

2.       Erecting inscriptions on images of bodhisattvas and the Buddha near Ganges river Which of the above is/are correct?

(a)      1 only

(b)      2 only

(c)      Both 1 and 2

(d)      None

Solution: (c)

Q.75  What was important about Shravasti in Buddhist history?

1.       It was ruled by Pasenadi who was a disciple of Buddha.

2.       The famous Jetavana Vihara is situated here.

3.       It hosted the first sermon of the Buddha. Select the correct answer using the codes below.

(a)      1 only

(b)      1 and 2 only

(c)      2 and 3 only

(d)      1, 2 and 3

Solution: (b)

 Statement 1: About 2,500 years ago, it was one of the six largest cities of India and served as the capital of the Kosala Kingdom, and its king was called Pasenadi, who was a disciple of Buddha.

The Buddha passed the greater part of his monastic life in Shravasti.

Statement 2: It was also a prominent trading centre and center of religious activity by Buddha.

According to the history of Buddhism, The Buddha first came to Shravasti at the urging of Sudatta, a rich merchant who met the Buddha in Rajagir.

Sudatta invited the Buddha to Shravasti and began to look for a suitable place to build a vihara.

Q.76  According to Buddhist tradition, Maha Sammata was?

(a)      The first monarch of the world

(b)      A character of Gautam Buddha’s previouslife

(c)      A compassionate Bodhisattva who renounced his life for the Sangha

(d)      The priest who consecrated Buddha’srelics

Solution: (a)

Literally, the Great Elect, Maha Sammata was the first monarch of the world.

The chronicles of Theravada Buddhist tradition such as Mahavamsa and Maha Yazawin state that he was the founder of the Sakya dynasty, to which the historical Buddha belonged.

He was the first of the eleven world monarchs named Maha Sammata, each of whom founded the eleven dynasties that existed from the beginning to the day of the Buddha.

Q.77  In the context of Buddhist history, Mahapajapati Gotami was

(a)      Composer of Buddhacharita

(b)      The queen who extended the highest financial patronage to Buddhism

(c)      Author of Abhidhamma Pitaka

(d)      First woman to be ordained as a bhikkhuni

Solution: (d)

Initially, only men were allowed into the sangha, but later women also came to be admitted. The Buddha’s foster mother, Mahapajapati Gotami was the first woman to be ordained as a bhikkhuni. Many women who entered the sangha became teachers of dhamma.

The Buddha’s followers came from many social groups. They included kings, wealthy men, gahapatis, workers, slaves andcraftspeople.

Once persons get into the sangha, all were regarded as equal, having shed their earlier social identities on becoming bhikkhus and bhikkhunis

Q.78  With reference to the Shramaṇa tradition, consider the following statements.

1.       It was a Vedic movement in ancient India.

2.       Ajivikas and Carvakas were a part of the movement.

3.       Bhakti cult originated from this movement. Select the correct answer using the codes below.

(a)      1 and 3 only

(b)      1 and 2 only

(c)      2 only

(d)      2 and 3 only

Solution: (c)

 Statement 1 and 2: The term refers to several Indian religious movements parallel to but separate from the historical Vedic religion. The shramaṇa tradition includes Jainism, Buddhism, and others such as the Ajivikas, Ajnanas and Carvakas.

Sramaṇas held a view of samsara as full of suffering (Dukka). They practiced Ahimsa and rigorous ascetism. They believed in Karma and Moksa and viewed rebirth as undesirable.

Vedics, on the contrary believe in the efficacy of rituals and sacrifices, performed by a privileged group of people, who could improve their life by pleasing certain Gods.

Statement 3: Sramanism, emphasizing thought, hard work and discipline, was one of the three strands of Hindu philosophy. The other two included Brahmanism, which drew its philosophical essence from Mimamsa.

The third and most popular strand of Indian philosophical thought revolves around the concept of Bhakti or Theism, based on the idea of God, as understood in most parts of the world. So, Bhakti was not a part of the Sramana tradition.

Q.79  With reference to Ajivikas, consider the following statements.

1.       It is known for its Niyati doctrine of absolute determinism.

2.       Followers of the sect were atheists and rejected the authority of the Vedas.

3.       They did not believe in the idea of a self or Atman. Select the correct answer using the codes below.

(a)      1 only

(b)      1 and 2 only

(c)      2 and 3 only

(d)      1 and 3 only

Solution: (b)

 It was founded in the 5th century BCE by Makkhali Gosala.

S2: It is known for its Niyati doctrine of absolute determinism, the premise that there is no free will, that everything that has happened, is happening and will happen is entirely preordained and a function of cosmic principles.

It considered the karma doctrine as a fallacy. Ajivika metaphysics included a theory of atoms similar to the Vaisheshika school, where everything was composed of atoms, qualities emerged from aggregates of atoms, but the aggregation and nature of these atoms was predetermined by cosmic forces.

Q.80  Lokayatas believe that

1.       Everything is predetermined

2.       A human being is made up of six elements

3.       Death is unreal and human beings continue to survive in ethereal form after death Select the correct answer using the codes below.

(a)      2 only

(b)      1 and 3 only

(c)      1, 2 and 3

(d)      None of the above

Solution: (d)

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