Correct Option
Statement 2 is correct. The Lokottaravadin sect emerged as an offshoot of the Mahasanghika school of Buddhism. The Mahasanghikas, meaning 'Great Sangha', were one of the earliest schismatic groups from the original Buddhist Sangha. The Lokottaravadins emphasized the transcendent (lokottara) and supramundane nature of the Buddha, a view consistent with the broader Mahasanghika ideology that the Buddha was not merely a human being.
Statement 3 is correct. The Mahasanghikas played a significant role in fostering Mahayana Buddhism through their theological developments. Their portrayal of the Buddha as a divine, cosmic, and supramundane being, rather than merely an enlightened human teacher, laid the doctrinal groundwork for the deification of the Buddha and the emergence of the Bodhisattva ideal, which are central tenets of Mahayana Buddhism.
Incorrect Options
Statement 1 is incorrect. The Sthaviravadins (meaning 'Doctrine of the Elders') were one of the early schools of Buddhism that emerged after the Second Buddhist Council. They adhered to the original teachings and monastic discipline, eventually leading to the development of Theravada Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism emphasizes the historical Buddha as a human teacher who attained enlightenment through his own efforts and focuses on individual liberation. In contrast, Mahayana Buddhism, which developed later, introduced concepts like the deification of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva path, and universal salvation. Therefore, Sthaviravadins belong to the tradition that evolved into Theravada, not Mahayana Buddhism.