Buddhism and Jainism: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Art and Culture)
1 previous year UPSC Prelims question on Buddhism and Jainism (Art and Culture). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
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UPSC 2016Art and Culture · Buddhism and Jainism
Q1. With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements: 1. The concept of Bodhisattva is central to the Hinayana sect of Buddhism. 2. Bodhisattva is a compassionate one on his way to enlightenment. 3. Bodhisattva delays achieving his own salvation to help all sentient beings on their path to it. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
In Mahayana Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is a being who has attained enlightenment but chooses to remain in the cycle of birth and death (samsara) out of compassion for all sentient beings. They vow to help others achieve enlightenment before fully entering Nirvana themselves.
Statement 1 is incorrect: A Bodhisattva is literally a living being(Sattva) who aspires to attain enlightenment(Bodhi). The concept of Bodhisattva is central to the Mahayana sect of Buddhism.
Statement 2 is correct: Compassion, an empathetic sharing of the sufferings of others, is Bodhisattva’s greatest characteristic.
Statement 3 is correct: Bodhisattva delays achieving his own salvation to help others on the same path. It is held that the Bodhisattva makes four vows expressing a determination to work for the happiness of others
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2016
(b) 2 and 3 only
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Buddhism and Jainism?
This page covers 1 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Buddhism and Jainism (Art and Culture), asked from 1996 to 2024. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Buddhism and Jainism?
Questions on Buddhism and Jainism (Art and Culture) are available for 20 years, from 1996 to 2024. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
