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10 questions from UPSC CSE Prelims GS Paper 1 on Buddhism & Jainism (Ancient History). Spanning from 2000 to 2020. Practice with show/hide answers and detailed explanations.
10
Questions
9
Years
1
Easy
7
Moderate
Q: With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements: 1. Sthaviravadins belong to Mahayana Buddhism. 2. Lokottaravadin sect was an offshoot of Mahasanghika sect of Buddhism. 3. The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghikas fostered the Mahayana Buddhism. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following pairs : 1. Parivrajak — Renunciant and Wanderer 2. Shramana — Priest with a high status 3. Upasaka — Lay follower of Buddhism Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched ?
Q: With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements: 1. Sautrantika and Sammitiya were the sects of Jainism. 2. Sarvastivadin held that the constituents of phenomena were not wholly momentary, but existed forever in a latent form. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following was/were common to both Buddhism and Jainism? 1. Avoidance of extremities of penance and enjoyment 2. Indifference to the authority of the Vedas 3. Denial of efficacy of rituals
Q: Why did Buddhism start declining in India in the early medieval times ? 1. Buddha was by that time considered as one of the incarnations of Vishnu and thus became a part of Vaishnavism. 2. The invading tribes from Central Asia till the time of last Gupta king adopted Hinduism and persecuted Buddhists. 3. The Kings of Gupta dynasty were strongly opposed to Buddhism. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Q: Consider the following statements: 1. The Ikshvaku rulers of southern India were antagonistic towards Buddhism. 2. The Pala rulers of Eastern India were patrons of Buddhism. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: With reference to ancient Jainism, which one of the following statements is correct?
Q: Consider the following statements: 1. Vardhamana Mahavira’s mother was the daughter of Lichchhavi chief Chetaka. 2. Gautama Buddha’s mother was a princess from the Kosha-lan dynasty. 3. Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara, belonged to Banaras. Which of these statements is/are correct?
Q: Who among the following presided over the Buddhist Council held during the reign of Kanishka at Kashmir?
Q: Assertion (A): The emphasis of Jainism on non-violence (ahimsa) prevented agriculturalists from embracing Jainism. Reason (R): Cultivation involved killing of insects and pests.
Memorise councils through a 4-3-4-2 grid: 4 Buddhist councils (Rajagriha, Vaishali, Pataliputra, Kashmir) and 3 Jain councils (Pataliputra, Vallabhi-I, Vallabhi-II), noting sponsor, year, and canonical outcome. Draw a quick timeline during revision; it reduces confusion when statements mix locations or patron kings.
Both. Apart from dates and councils, Prelims tests terms like Arhat, Sunyata, Syadvada, Anekantavada, Triratna and Panchamahavrata. Knowing literal meanings and which faith they belong to is essential because UPSC frames elimination-based statements around these Sanskrit-Pali words.
