Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings
1. The mid-first millennium BCE is often regarded as a turning point in world history. Explain
the statement.
Ans (a) Emergence of thinkers like Buddha and Mahavira.
(b) new kingdoms and cities were developing
© social and economic life was changing
2. How Buddhist texts were prepared and preserved?
Ans The Buddha (and other teachers) taught orally – through discussion and debate. After his death
his teachings were compiled by his disciples at a council of “elders” or senior monks at Vesali. These
compilations were known as Tipitaka – literally, three baskets to hold different types of texts. They
were first transmitted orally and then written and classified according to length as well as subject
matter.
(a) Sutta Pitaka contain teaching of Buddha
(b) Abhidhamma Pitaka dealt with philosophical matters.
(c) Vinaya Pitaka included rules and regulations for those who joined the sangha or monastic
order.
(d) As Buddhism travelled to new regions such as Sri Lanka, other texts such as the Dipavamsa
(literally, the chronicle of the island) and Mahavamsa (the great chronicle).
3. Explain the teachings of Mahavira Jain ?
Ans )a) The most important idea in Jainism is that the entire world is animated: even stones, rocks and
water have life.
(b) Non-injury to living beings, especially to humans, animals, plants and insects, is central to Jaina
philosophy.
© In fact the principle of ahimsa, emphasised within Jainism, has left its mark on Indian thinking as a
whole.
(d) According to Jaina teachings, the cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped through karma.
(e) Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of karma.
(f) This can be achieved only by renouncing the world; therefore, monastic existence is a
necessary condition of salvation.
(g) Jaina monks and nuns took five vows: to abstain from killing, stealing and lying; to observe
celibacy; and to abstain from possessing property.
4. How did Jainism spread to other parts of world?
The teachings of Mahavira were recorded by his disciples.
These were in the form of stories that could appeal to ordinary people.
Jaina scholars produced a wealth of literature in a variety of languages such as Prakrit,
Sanskrit, and Tamil, and preserved it in libraries attached to temples.
Gradually, Jainism spread to many parts of India
Many stone sculptures connected with the Jain traditions have been recovered from
several sites.
5. Explain the teachings of Buddhism?
The world is transient (anicca) and constantly changing.
It is also soulless (anatta) as there is nothing permanent or eternal in it.
Within this transient world, sorrow (dukkha) is intrinsic to human existence.
It is by following the middle path between severe penance and self-indulgence that
human beings can rise above these worldly troubles.
In the early forms of Buddhism whether or not God existed was irrelevant.
Buddha regarded the social world as a creation of humans rather than the divine origin
and thus advised kings and gahapatis to be humane and ethical.
Buddhism emphasizes literally the extinguishing of the ego and desires and thus ends
the suffering of those who renounced the world.
6. Followers of the Buddha (The Buddhist Sangha)
Buddha’s last words to his followers were:” Be lamps unto yourselves as all of you
must work out your own liberation”
The body of disciples of the Buddha or an organization of monks is called the sangha.
Buddha founded a sangha. It was an organization of monks who became teachers of
dhamma.
These monks lead a simple life possessing only the essential requisites for survival,
such as a bowl to receive food once a day from the laity.
As they lived on alms, they were known as bhikkus.
The Buddha’s foster mother, Mahaprajapati Gotami was the first woman to be
included as a bhikkhuni.
7. What is Stupa? Why and how were they build?
The stupa is a Sanskrit word meaning a heap. The structure of the stupa originated as
a simple circular mound of earth called anda.
Mounds, where relics of the Buddha such as his bodily remains or objects used by
him were buried, were known as stupas.
It is known that Asoka distributed portions of the Buddha’s relics to every important
town and ordered the construction of stupas over them.
8. The four sacred places
Buddhist literature describes places connected with the life of Buddha. These places
are:-
Lumbini– where he was born
Bodh Gaya –where he attained enlightenment,
Saranath –where he gave his first sermon and
Kushinagar–. Where he attained Nibbana
9. Why did Stupa at Sanchi survived while Amravati did not?
Ans Stupa at Sanchi
1. The rulers of Bhopal, Shahjehan Begum and her successor Sultan Jehan Begum, provided
money for the preservation of the ancient site.
2. John Marshall dedicated his important volumes on Sanchi to Sultan Jehan.
3. She funded the museum that was built there as well as the guesthouse where
he lived and wrote the volumes.
4. She also funded the publication of the volumes.
Stupa at Amravati
1. Stupa at Amaravati was totally destroyed.
2. slabs from Amaravati had begun to be taken to different places.
3. new official in the area continued to remove sculptures.
4. Amaravati was discovered before scholars understood the value of the finds.
