THINKERS, BELIEFS AND BUILDINGS-MCQ

THEME-4

THINKERS, BELIEFS AND BUILDINGS

CULTURAL  DEVELOPMENTS

C.600 BCE-600 CE

1. Sanchi Stupa is located in?

A. Uttar Pradesh

B. Odisha

C. Bihar

D. Madhya Pradesh

Ans: D

Explanation: Sanchi Stupa is a Buddhist complex, famous for its Great Stupa, on a hilltop at Sanchi Town in Raisen District of the State of Madhya Pradesh. Hence, D is

the correct option.

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2. What does Kutagrashala means—

A. A school of thought

B. A hut with a pointed roof

C. Sacrifice performed by Kings

D. None of the above.

Ans: B

Explanation: Teachers travelled from place to place, trying to convince one another as well as laypersons, about the validity of their philosophy or the way they understood the world. Debates took place in the kutagarashala — literally, a hut with a pointed roof — or in groves where travelling mendicants halted. Hence, B is the correct option.

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3. Which of the following is the Buddhist Sinhalese Chronicle?

A. Dipavamsa

B. Mahavamsa

C. both A and B

D. None of these

Ans: C

Explanation: As Buddhism travelled to new regions such as Sri Lanka, text such as the Dipavamsa (literally, the chronicle of the island) and Mahavamsa (the great chronicle ) were written.The term vamsha is used for lineage. Hence, C is the correct option.

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4. Gautam Buddha belonged to which clan—

A. Muni

B. Knantrika

C. Sakya

D. Ajivika

Ans: C

 Explanation: Siddhartha (as Buddha was named at birth), was the son of a chief of Sakya clan. Hence, C is the correct option.

5. Which of the following means an organization of Monks-

A. Sangha

B. Bhikkuni

C. Dhamma

D. Gana

Ans: A

Explanation: . Buddha founded a sangha, an organisation of monks who became teachers of dhamma. These monks lived simply, 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 bhikkhus. Hence, A is the correct option.

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6. Who was the first woman to enter Sangha—

A. Punna

B. Gargi

C. Prabhavati

D. Gotami

Ans: D

Explanation: Initially, only men were allowed into the sangha, but later women also came

to be admitted. According to Buddhist texts, this was made possible through the mediation of Ananda, one of the Buddha's dearest disciples, who persuaded him to permit women into the sangha. The Buddha's foster mother, Mahapajapati Gotami was the first woman to be ordained as a bhikkhuni. Hence, D is the correct option.

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7. Who was the last Tirthankara?

A. Parsvanath

B. Mahavira

C. Rishabhdev

D. Subhadra

Ans: B

Explanation: According to Jaina tradition, Mahavira(last and 24th tirthankara) was preceded by 23 other teachers or tirthankaras — literally, those who guide men and women across the river of existence. Hence, B is the correct option.

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8. "Be lamps unto yourselves as all of you must work out

your own liberation", were the last words of?

A. Gautam Buddha

B. Mahavir Jain

C. Gotami putra Satkarni

D. Ashoka

Ans: A

Explanation: According to Buddhist tradition, his last words to his followers were: "Be lamps unto yourselves as all of you must work out your own liberation." Hence, A is the correct option.

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­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­9. The earliest known collection of women's literature composed by Bikkunis—

A. Nishadini

B. Theri Gatha

C. Dipavamsa

D. Uttaradhyayana

Ans: B

Explanation: Theri Gatha,the earliest-known collection of women's literature was composed by Bikkunis as a part of Sutta Pitaka. Hence, B is the correct option.

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10. According to popular belief, the woman whose touch

caused trees to flower and bear fruit was —

A. Shalabhanjika

B. Gajalakshmi

C. Mahapajapati Gotami

D. Sigala

Ans: A

Explanation: According to popular belief, Shalabhanjika was a woman whose touch caused trees to flower and bear fruit. It is likely that this was regarded as an auspicious symbol and integrated into the decoration Of the stupa. Hence, A is the correct option.

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11. Sutta Pitaka is a religious texts of-

A. Hindus

B. Jains

C. Buddhists

D. Jews

Ans: C

Explanation: The Sutta Pitaka is the second of the three divisions of the Tripitaka or Pali Canon, the Pali collection of Buddhist writings of Theravada Buddhism. Hence, C is the correct option.

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12. In Buddhist tradition, the deeply compassionate beings who accumulate merit through their efforts but used this not to attain the nibbana, but to help others were called—

A. Bhikku

B. Bodhisatta

C. Dhamma Mahamatta

D. Buddha

Ans: B

Explanation: Bodhisattas were perceived as deeply compassionate beings who accumulated merit through their efforts but used this not to attain nibbana and thereby abandon the world, but to help others. Hence, B is the correct option.

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13. The New style of Buddhist worship where images of Buddha and Bodhisattas became important was called—

A. Theravada

B. Sanghvada

C. Mahayana

D. Hinayana

Ans: C

Explanation: The worship of images of the Buddha and Bodhisattas became an important part of Buddhist tradition. This new way of thinking was called Mahayana — literally, the "great vehicle". Those who adopted these beliefs described the Older tradition as Hinayana or the "lesser vehicle".Hence, C is the correct option.

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14.Which of the following texts is related to Queen  Kamalavati?        

A. Abhidhamma Pitaka

B. Tirchankara

C. Dipavamsa

D. Uttaradhyayana Sutta

Ans: D

Explanation: A Prakrit text known as Uttaradhyayana Sutta describes how a queen kamalavati tried to persuade her husband to renounce the world . Hence,D is the correct option.

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­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­15. All of the following statements regarding Stupas are correct except —

A. Asoka distributed portions of the Buddha's relics to build stupas over them.

B. The tradition of erecting stupa was started by Asoka

C. Harmika, represented the abode of God

D. The stupa originated as simple semi-circular mound of

earth, called anda

Ans: B

Explanation: The tradition of erecting stupas may have been pre-Buddhist, but they came to be associated with Buddhism. Asoka distributed portions of the Buddha's relics to

important towns and stupas were built over them. The stupa originated as simple semi- circular mound of earth, called anda. Hence, B is the correct option.

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16. All of the following statements regarding vows of Jainism are

correct except —

A. Abstain from killing

B. to follow the path of moderation

C. Abstain from stealing and lying

D. to observe celibacy

Ans: B

Explanation:Jaina monks and nuns took five vows: to abstain from killing, stealing and lying; to observe celibacy; and to abstain from possessing property. Hence, B is the correct option.

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­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­17 .Consider the following statements:

I. Entire world is animated

11. Cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped through Karma

Which of the above statement (s) is/are correct about Jain

philosophy ?

A. only 1

B. only 11

C. Both I and 11

D. Neither I nor 11

Ans: C

Explanation:The most idea in Jainism is that the entire world is animated, also according to Jaina teachings, the cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped through karma. Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of karma. Hence, C is the correct option.

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18. Consider the following pairs:

1. Birth: Lumbini

2. First Sermon: Sarnath

3. Death: Bodh Gaya

Which of the following pairs of events related to Buddha is/

are correctly matched?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2 only

C. 1 and 3 only

D. 3 only

Ans: A

Explanation: Buddha's life — where he was born (Lumbini), where he attained enlightenment (Bodh Gaya), where he gave his first sermon (Sarnath) and where he attained nibbana (Kusinagara). Hence, A is the correct option.

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19. Consider the following pairs:

1. Empty seat : Meditation

2. Stupa - Mahaparinibbana

3. Wheel - First Sermon

Which of the following symbols related to worship of Buddha

is/are correctly matched?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2 only

C. All 1, 2 and 3

D. 3 only

Ans: C

Explanation: Many early sculptors did not show the Buddha in human form — instead, they showed his presence through symbols. The empty seat was meant to indicate the meditation of the Buddha, and the stupa was meant to represented mahaparinibbana. Another frequently used symbol was the wheel. Hence, C is the correct option

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20. Consider the following pairs:

1. Anatta: Transient

2. Anicca: Soulless

3. Dukkha: Sorrow

Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2 only

C. all 1, 2 and 3

D. 3 only

Ans: D

Explanation: According to Buddhist philosophy, 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. Hence, D is the correct option.

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