Every question from this NCERT chapter, with a detailed explanation.
With reference to the Jaina monastic vows, consider the following statements: 1. Jaina monks and nuns took five vows, including observing celibacy. 2. The vow to abstain from possessing property was optional for nuns. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to the development of Mahayana Buddhism, consider the following statements: 1. It strictly prohibited the worship of images of the Buddha. 2. It introduced the idea of a saviour who could ensure salvation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
In Jaina philosophy, the cycle of birth and rebirth is believed to be determined by:
James Fergusson, an early modern art historian, interpreted the site of Sanchi primarily as a centre associated with which of the following forms of worship?
With reference to the preservation of the Sanchi Stupa in the nineteenth century, consider the following statements: 1. The French and English showed no interest in the Sanchi Stupa. 2. Shahjehan Begum and Sultan Jehan Begum provided funds for the preservation of the site and the building of a museum. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the Vedic sacrificial tradition: 1. The early Vedic tradition, known from the Rigveda, consisted of hymns chanted during sacrifices for cattle, sons, and long life. 2. From c. 1000 BCE onwards, all sacrifices were performed exclusively by the kings and chiefs, and not by heads of households. 3. Elaborate sacrifices like the rajasuya and ashvamedha depended on Brahmana priests to conduct the ritual. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Which of the following pairs is correctly matched regarding Buddhist texts?
Consider the following statements regarding the intellectual climate in the mid-first millennium BCE: 1. Thinkers like Zarathustra in Iran and Kong Zi in China emerged during this period. 2. The Upanishads show that people were curious about the meaning of life and the possibility of life after death. 3. Mahavira and the Buddha accepted the authority of the Vedas but questioned the efficacy of sacrifices. 4. The debates were recorded in the royal courts, never in places like the kutagarashala. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the compilation of Buddhist texts: 1. The Buddha's speeches were written down immediately by his disciples. 2. The Tipitaka was reduced to writing in Sri Lanka. 3. The Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa contain biographies of the Buddha. Which of the statements given above are correct?
In the Buddhist literary tradition, the term Tipitaka literally translates to which of the following?
Consider the following statements regarding the Rigvedic deities: 1. Indra was primarily a god of peace and vegetation. 2. Agni was the god of fire, often identified with the sacrificial fire. 3. Soma was a type of sacrificial animal. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
In the context of religious history, a "hagiography" is best described as:
Consider the following statements regarding the teachers of the mid-first millennium BCE: 1. Makkhali Gosala belonged to the tradition of the Ajivikas. 2. Ajita Kesakambalin was a staunch supporter of the Vedic sacrifices. 3. The Ajivikas are often described as fatalists who believe everything is predetermined. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the spread and literature of Jainism: 1. Jainism spread to parts of South India such as Tamil Nadu. 2. Jaina scholars produced literature exclusively in Sanskrit. 3. The philosophy of Jainism was created entirely by Mahavira. 4. The Uttaradhyayana Sutta is a text composed in Prakrit. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below: List I (Philosopher/Text) | List II (Tradition) A. Makkhali Gosala | 1. Fatalist (Ajivika) B. Ajita Kesakambalin | 2. Materialist (Lokayata) C. Uttaradhyayana Sutta | 3. Buddhist D. Sutta Pitaka | 4. Jaina
Consider the following statements regarding the Jaina philosophy of the world: 1. The Jaina philosophy states that only humans and animals have life. 2. Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of karma. 3. Monastic existence is a necessary condition of salvation. Which of the statements given above are correct?
The Uttaradhyayana Sutta, which describes the conversation between Queen Kamalavati and her husband, is written in which language?
With reference to the life of Siddhartha, consider the following statements: 1. He was the son of a chief of the Kuru clan. 2. His first journey into the outside world led him to see an old man, a sick man, and a corpse, which deeply anguished him. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the teachings of the Buddha: 1. The world is soulless as there is nothing permanent or eternal in it. 2. The Buddha taught that sorrow is not intrinsic to human existence. 3. The path to rise above worldly troubles is the Middle Path. Which of the statements given above are correct?
The advice given by the Buddha to a wealthy householder named Sigala regarding the treatment of servants, parents, and teachers is found in the:
With reference to the internal functioning of the Buddhist Sangha, consider the following statements: 1. It was based on the traditions of ganas and sanghas. 2. Decisions were taken by the head monk and were binding on all. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the Buddha's teaching method: 1. He taught exclusively through silence and meditation, avoiding discussion. 2. He used the language of the ordinary people to ensure his message was accessible. 3. He tried to convince people through reason and persuasion rather than supernatural power. Which of the statements given above are correct?
In Buddhist philosophy, the doctrine of Anatta conveys which of the following ideas?
Consider the following statements regarding the admission of women into the Buddhist Sangha: 1. The Buddha allowed women into the Sangha immediately without any hesitation. 2. Initially, only men were allowed into the Sangha. 3. Yashodhara was the first woman to be ordained as a *bhikkhuni*. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Within the organisational structure of the Buddhist Sangha, the term Theri is used to denote which of the following?
The Therigatha, a collection of verses composed by bhikkhunis, is part of which Buddhist text?
Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below: List I (Term) | List II (Meaning) A. Theri | 1. One who lives on alms B. Bhikkhu | 2. Renouncer C. Gahapati | 3. Master of the household D. Samana | 4. Woman who attained liberation
Who among the following was the Buddha's foster mother and the first woman to be ordained as a bhikkhuni?
With reference to the origin of Stupas, consider the following statements: 1. The tradition of erecting stupas was exclusively Buddhist and did not exist before Buddhism. 2. Stupas came to be venerated as emblems of both the Buddha and Buddhism because they contained sacred relics. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the Puranas: 1. They were compiled exclusively in the Vedic period. 2. They were written in simple Sanskrit verse to be accessible to women and Shudras. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
In the structure of a Stupa, the harmika represented:
Consider the following statements regarding the structural features of early Stupas: 1. The anda was a simple semi-circular mound of earth. 2. The yashti was a square railing that surrounded the mound. 3. The railings and gateways of early stupas were often richly carved. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below: List I (Stupa Site) | List II (Location) A. Sanchi | 1. Madhya Pradesh B. Amaravati | 2. Andhra Pradesh C. Sarnath | 3. Uttar Pradesh D. Shah-ji-ki-Dheri | 4. Peshawar
With reference to the ritual of worship at a Stupa, consider the following statements: 1. They walked around the mound in an anti-clockwise direction. 2. Worshippers entered through the eastern gateway. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The "Elliot marbles" refer to sculptures taken from which Buddhist site?
Consider the following statements regarding the fate of the Amaravati Stupa: 1. It was discovered in the twentieth century when preservation laws were already in place. 2. A local raja used its stone to build a temple. 3. British officials like Colin Mackenzie and Walter Elliot removed sculptures from the site. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding early Buddhist sculpture and symbols: 1. Early sculptors did not show the Buddha in human form. 2. The empty seat represented the birth of the Buddha. 3. The wheel represented the mahaparinibbana of the Buddha. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The motif of a woman swinging from the edge of a gateway, holding onto a tree, found at Sanchi is identified as:
The figure of a woman surrounded by lotuses and elephants, often found in Buddhist sculpture, is identified by some historians as Maya and by others as:
Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below: List I (Symbol) | List II (Representation) A. Tree | 1. Meditation of the Buddha B. Empty Seat | 2. Mahaparinibbana C. Stupa | 3. First Sermon D. Wheel | 4. Enlightenment
Consider the following statements regarding the paintings at Ajanta: 1. They exclusively depict scenes from the daily life of kings, avoiding religious themes. 2. The artists used the technique of shading to give a three-dimensional quality. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
In early temple architecture, the small square room where the image of the god was placed is called the:
Consider the following statements regarding the evolution of temple architecture: 1. The earliest temples were hollowed out of huge rocks as artificial caves. 2. The shikhara was a tall structure built over the central shrine. 3. Later temples were small shrines without any assembly halls. 4. The Kailashnatha temple at Ellora is a structural temple built by stacking stone blocks. Which of the statements given above are correct?
The artificial caves at Barabar, constructed in the third century BCE, were originally made for renouncers belonging to which sect?
Consider the following statements regarding the classification of Buddhism: 1. Followers of the older tradition accepted the label 'Hinayana' with pride. 2. Supporters of Mahayana described the older tradition as Hinayana. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following Chinese pilgrims travelled to India in search of Buddhist texts?