- (a). Buddha
- (b). Lao-tze
- (c). Confucius
- (d). Zoroaster
Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) founded Buddhism and is noted for his life of simplicity and self-denial leading to enlightenment.
(a)
- (a). Dhananandha
- (b). Chandragupta
- (c). Bimbisara
- (d). Shishunaga
Chandragupta Maurya is traditionally said to have embraced Jainism later in life and been influenced by Jain teachings (tradition links him to the Jain community).
(b)
- a. Buddha
- b. Lao-tze
- c. Confucius
- d. Zoroaster
Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) founded Buddhism and renounced worldly life, exemplifying simplicity and self-denial.
a
- a. Dhananandha
- b. Chandragupta
- c. Bimbisara
- d. Shishunaga
Chandragupta Maurya is traditionally believed to have been influenced by Jain teachings and to have become a Jain follower later in life.
b
The Zend Avesta is the sacred literature of Zoroastrianism containing hymns, prayers and myths composed over different periods.
Zend Avesta
Plough agriculture (plough-based cultivation) in the Gangetic plain required the use of bullocks to work the heavy soils.
plough (plough-based) agriculture
Jains regard Mahavira as the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankara in the present time cycle.
Mahavira
The Mahabodhi temple stands at Bodh Gaya (Bihar), where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment.
Bodh Gaya
Ashoka's rock and pillar edicts are primary sources that describe his dhamma (moral/ethical) policies and rule.
Ashoka
- a. (i) is correct
- b. (ii) is correct
- c. (i) and (ii) are correct
- d. (iii) and (iv) are correct
From the chapter: (i) True — the Mauryan administration included mahamatriyas who acted as secretaries to ministers. (ii) True — Megasthenes' Indica is cited as a useful contemporary account of Mauryan polity/society. (iii) False — the Nanda dynasty was overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya (not Ashoka); (iv) False — Chandragupta is traditionally associated with Jainism (Jaina tradition), not Buddhism.
c
Hinayana or Theravada focuses on personal liberation through monastic discipline and the teachings of early scriptures; Mahayana stresses universal salvation, compassion (bodhisattvas), and a wider range of texts and practices.
Hinayana (Theravada) — 'Lesser Vehicle': emphasizes individual liberation (arhat), Pali canon, strict monastic discipline; prevalent in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Mahayana — 'Greater Vehicle': emphasizes the Bodhisattva ideal (compassion for all), broader scriptures, more devotional practices; prevalent in East Asia.
Taking refuge in the Three Jewels — Buddha, Dharma, Sangha — signifies commitment to the Buddhist path and forms the core of Buddhist religious identity.
Tri-ratnas (Three Jewels) in Buddhism are: the Buddha (the enlightened teacher), the Dharma (the teachings), and the Sangha (the monastic/community of practitioners). Refuge in these three is central to Buddhist practice.
Ajatasatru played an important role in Magadha's rise: he consolidated territory, engaged in conflicts with neighboring states (notably Kosala), and is noted in Buddhist and Jain texts for his political and religious associations.
Ajatasatru was a king of Magadha (son of Bimbisara) who reigned in the 5th century BCE; he is known for imprisoning his father to seize the throne, for wars with Kosala, and for strengthening Magadha's power. He is associated with early state formation in eastern India and patronage of both Buddhism and Jainism in different records.
Following the devastation of the Kalinga war, Ashoka declared his conversion to dharma-based rule, emphasizing compassion, moral conduct, and administrative reforms for welfare.
The Kalinga Edict (by Ashoka) conveys the emperor's remorse over the mass suffering caused by the Kalinga war, his commitment to dhamma (moral rule), promotion of non-violence, welfare measures for people and animals, and instructions to officials to propagate ethical governance.
Key measures included official patronage, missionary missions to other regions, building religious institutions, and using inscriptions to communicate Buddhist principles.
Ashoka propagated Buddhism by issuing rock and pillar edicts promoting dhamma, sending missionaries (including Mahinda and Sanghamitta to Sri Lanka and envoys abroad), supporting the construction of stupas and monasteries, patronising the Sangha, and encouraging moral and charitable activities.
Confucius stressed these five interrelated virtues as the foundation for personal cultivation and orderly society: Ren as the central moral quality, Yi and Li to guide action and social duties, Zhi to discern right from wrong, and Xin to maintain trust in relationships.
The five cardinal virtues (constant virtues) of Confucius are: (1) Ren (benevolence/humaneness) — compassion and empathy toward others; (2) Yi (righteousness) — moral disposition to do what is right; (3) Li (proper conduct/ritual propriety) — correct social behavior and rites; (4) Zhi (wisdom) — moral knowledge and discernment; (5) Xin (integrity/faithfulness) — honesty and trustworthiness. Together they guide personal morality and social harmony.
Concise comparison: both reject Vedic ritualism and prioritize ethical conduct, but Jainism is more ascetic and soul-centred, while Buddhism rejects a permanent soul and prescribes a balanced path toward Nirvana.
Similarities: both arose in the 6th–5th century BCE as reform movements, emphasise non-violence (ahimsa), reject ritual sacrifices and Brahmanical supremacy, teach karma and liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Differences: Jainism affirms an eternal individual soul (jiva) and stresses strict asceticism and rigorous non-violence (incl. toward small life forms); Mahavira is central. Buddhism (founded by Gautama Buddha) teaches no permanent soul (anatta), focuses on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as a middle way (avoiding extreme asceticism), and emphasizes the Bodhisattva ideal in Mahayana traditions. Rituals and monastic rules differ, with Jainism maintaining stricter rules on ascetic conduct.
Correct matches:
1. Eight-fold path — path to attain the purest state of mind (Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path leading to Nirvana).
2. Bahubali — tallest Jaina statue (the monolithic statue at Shravanabelagola commemorates Bahubali).
3. The Spring and Autumn Annals — a code of political morality (Confucian chronicle with moral-political lessons).
4. Zend Avesta — sacred literature of laws and myths (Zoroastrian scripture).
5. Rishabha — first Tirthankara (Rishabhanatha in Jain tradition).
| # | Correct match |
|---|---|
| 1 | path to attain the purest state of mind |
| 2 | tallest Jaina statue |
| 3 | a code of political morality |
| 4 | sacred literature of laws and myths |
| 5 | first Tirthankara |