UPSC 2020 Art and Culture Questions with Answers

Explanation

Pair 1 is correctly matched: Bhilsa is the medieval name of the modern day Vidisha city of Madhya Pradesh. Vidisha was also known as Besnagar in ancient times. King Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty served as the Governor of Vidisha during his father’s regime. It is known for its archaeological sites including the Udayagiri Caves and the Heliodorus Pillar.

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: Dwarasamudra was the capital of the Hoysala kingdom in the 11th century. Today it is known as Halebidu - a town located in Hassan district in Karnataka and is known for exquisite Hoysala architecture, including the Hoysaleswara Temple.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: Girinagar also known as Girnar or Revatak Parvat is a group of mountains in the Junagadh district of Gujarat. Temples situated on Mount Girnar are sacred to both Digambar and Swetambars branches of Jainism.

Pair 4 is incorrectly matched: Thanesar (Thaneshwar) is an old Hindu pilgrimage town of Haryana that was famous as Sthanesvara in ancient times. Thaneshwar was ruled by the great King Harsha of the Vardhan dynasty.

Explanation

Paramitas are qualities to be perfected in order to attain a state of self enlightened Universal Buddha (a samma sambuddha) a term prevalent in Eastern and Northern Buddhist traditions. Paramitas These are qualities to be perfected in order to transcend into a self enlightened Universal Buddha. Here, The Fourth Noble Truth outlines the Eightfold Path, which is a practical guideline for attaining the cessation of suffering (nirvana), while the Ten Paramitas focus more on the qualities required of a Bodhisattva, both paths lead toward enlightenment. Following are the Ten Paramitas: Generosity, Morality, Patience, Energy, Meditation, Wisdom, Skillful means, Resolution, Power, Knowledge.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Sthaviravadins were an early Buddhist sect that later became associated with Theravada Buddhism, not Mahayana.

Statement 2 is correct: Mahasanghika was further subdivided into several sects including Lokottarvadin, Kavya Variks, Kaukkitikas in coming years. Lokottarvadin was based on the philosophy of Lokottar Buddha or Supernatural Buddha.

Statement 3 is correct: The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghika fostered Mahayana Buddhism. They attributed divinity to Buddha and worship of Buddha in Statue form started which is still prevalent in modern days.

Explanation

In ancient Indian Non-Vedic religious traditions like Buddhism and Jainism, distinct roles and terminologies were used to describe various types of spiritual practitioners and followers such as Parivrajaka, Shramana and Upasaka.

Pair 1 is correctly matched: The Sanskrit word Parivrajaka means renunciant & wanderer in English. Ajita Keshkambalin, Makhkhali Goshala, Gauthama Buddha, and Vardhamana Mahavira are a few well-known examples for Parivrajaka.

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: Brahmins were privileged as intermediaries between God and its followers, making them socially dominant groups of the society. There have been many movements that tried to distance themselves from this practice and belief. Shramanas were one such group. Famous among them were Buddhists, Jains, lokayats, and Ajivikas. The Shramanas included a variety of ascetics, monks and lay followers of various sects. They renounced worldly life to search for the truth about life and the universe. The main feature of Shramana was their equal treatment. They lived as an equal member of the order, without any caste distinctions.

Pair 3 is correct: Lay followers of Buddhism were known as Upsakas or Upasikas. This title is used for the followers of Buddhism who were not monks, nuns and took certain vows.