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Q71 (IAS/2018) History & Culture › Culture, Literature, Religion & Philosophy › Jain doctrine and sects Official Key

With reference to the religious practices in India, the "Sthanakvasi" sect belongs to

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 2 (Jainism).

The Sthanakvasi is a prominent sub-sect of the Shvetambara school of Jainism. Founded by the merchant Lavji in the 17th century (around 1653 AD), it emerged as a reformist offshoot of the Lonka sect.

The core characteristic of Sthanakvasis is their rejection of idol worship and temple rituals. Unlike other Jain sects, they do not believe in the use of statues (Murti) for spiritual devotion. Instead, they believe that God is omnipresent and worship should be internal. They perform their religious duties in a Sthanaka (a non-decorated prayer hall), from which their name is derived.

  • Buddhism: Sects include Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, focusing on the Dhamma and Sangha.
  • Vaishnavism/Shaivism: These are Hindu traditions centered on the worship of Vishnu and Shiva, respectively, involving extensive temple and idol rituals, which contradicts Sthanakvasi beliefs.
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Out of everyone who attempted this question.
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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. With reference to the religious practices in India, the "Sthanakvasi" sect belongs to [A] Buddhism [B] Jainism [C] Vaishnavism [D] Sh…
At a glance
Origin: Mixed / unclear origin Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 0/10

This is a 'Depth-Level 2' question. While basic NCERTs introduce Jainism (Level 1), they rarely list specific sub-sects like Sthanakvasi. This question rewards students who consulted Standard Reference Books (like Nitin Singhania or CCRT) or created 'Schism Trees' for major religions.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Which religion does the Sthanakvasi sect belong to within the context of religious practices in India?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 3: Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects > 3.5 Jainism > p. 38
Strength: 5/5
“Among the various sects, the sect led by Vardhamana Mahavira (referred to as Nigantha Nataputta by Buddhist texts) bloomed into a religion called Jainism. It was earlier known as 38. P Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects”
Why relevant

Defines how a sect led by Vardhamana Mahavira developed into the religion called Jainism — showing that distinct sect names can be components of Jain religious tradition.

How to extend

A student could take the fact that 'sects' form part of Jain history and check standard lists of Jain sects to see if Sthanakvasi appears among them.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 13: Cultural Syncretism: Bhakti Movement in India > SUMMARY > p. 196
Strength: 4/5
“• The protest and resistance of Jains and Buddhists to the authority of Orthodox Vedic religion by making religion accessible to all, without caste or gender bias is dealt with. • The persecution of Jains and Buddhists by w Saivites with royal patronage is discussed. • The transformation of Vedic religion while 68 conflicting with Jainism and Buddhism is explained. • The spread of bhakti cult to north India and its salient features are examined. • Impact of Sufism on Islam and its influence in the evolution of a monotheistic religion especially Sikhism are analyzed• The major proponents of bhakti movement and the impact of their work in the north India are highlighted”
Why relevant

Mentions 'the protest and resistance of Jains' as a distinct group vis-à-vis Vedic religion — indicating Jains form a separate organized religious tradition that contains internal sects.

How to extend

Knowing Jains are a separate organized religion, a student could look for sect names (like Sthanakvasi) in overviews of Jain internal divisions.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 13: Cultural Setting > Religion as a Determinant of Cultural Region > p. 50
Strength: 4/5
“All societies have value systems, common beliefs, understandings, and expectations which unite their people. Religion plays a crucial role in the socioeconomic life of the people and even their utilisation of natural resources is closely controlled by the religion of the people. Geographers are concerned with the interaction between religion and landscape (resources). Thus, religion provides a good basis for the demarcation of cultural regions. India is a multi-religion country. It is the birth place of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Subsequently, the successive waves of people of other religious faiths came to India. They maintained their religious identity. For example, the Syrian Christians appeared on the west coast of India in the first century AD.”
Why relevant

Lists Jainism among the principal religions born in India, implying it is a major, named religious tradition where sects would be expected.

How to extend

Using a basic reference on Indian religions (encyclopedia or textbook), a student could search within the entry for Jainism for sect names including Sthanakvasi.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: India's Cultural Roots > THINK ABOUT IT > p. 119
Strength: 3/5
“In English, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism are often labelled 'religions'. You may notice that we have avoided this term, preferring 'schools of thought' and (later in this chapter) 'belief systems'. This is because there are many aspects to those schools and systems, which we will explore gradually a philosophical aspect, a spiritual aspect, a religious aspect, an ethical aspect, a social aspect, to name a few. Many scholars agree that the word 'religion' is too limiting in the context of the Indian civilisation. There were yet other schools of thought at the time. For example, one of them, known as the 'Chārvāka' school (sometimes also 'Lokāyata'), believed that this material world is the only thing that exists, and therefore there can be no life after death.”
Why relevant

Explains that terms like 'Jainism' are treated as 'schools of thought' with multiple aspects, suggesting internal variety (sects) within those schools.

How to extend

A student could extend this by consulting standard summaries of the 'schools of thought' to identify sect-level divisions and see whether Sthanakvasi is listed under Jainism.

Pattern takeaway: UPSC History is moving from 'Events' to 'Terminology'. If a religion has a split, you must know the names of the factions and the core ideological difference (e.g., Idol worship vs. No Idol worship).
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Standard Reference Sitter. Missing in basic NCERTs, but bolded in Nitin Singhania/CCRT.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Heterodox Sects (Shramana Traditions) and their internal divisions/schisms.
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the Schism Tree. Jainism: Digambara (Bispanthi, Terapanthi, Taranpanthi) vs Shvetambara (Murtipujaka, Sthanakvasi, Terapanthi). Buddhism: Sthaviravadin, Mahasanghika, Sarvastivadin, Sautrantika.
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Don't just study the 'Founder' and 'Teachings'. Always study the 'Split'. UPSC loves asking about the specific names of groups that formed *after* the founder died.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Jainism and its sects
💡 The insight

The question asks about a sect; the references explicitly discuss Jainism and that it comprises distinct sects and developments.

High-yield for UPSC: knowledge of major Indian religions and their internal sects is frequently tested in history and culture papers. Understanding Jainism's formation and sectarian divisions helps answer questions about religious identity, reform movements, and socio-religious influence. Study primary textbook summaries and timelines to recognise sect names and their contexts.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 3: Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects > 3.5 Jainism > p. 38
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 13: Cultural Syncretism: Bhakti Movement in India > SUMMARY > p. 196
🔗 Anchor: "Which religion does the Sthanakvasi sect belong to within the context of religio..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Bhakti movement, sectarian responses and inter-religious interactions
💡 The insight

References describe Bhakti and note how Jainism and Buddhism reacted to orthodox Vedic religion and to devotional movements — relevant for situating a sect historically.

Important for UPSC to link religious movements (Bhakti, Sufism) with the rise/decline of sects and communal practices. This helps answer comparative and cause-effect questions on cultural syncretism and sectarian dynamics. Focus on causes, major proponents, regional patterns, and impacts.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 13: Cultural Syncretism: Bhakti Movement in India > Introduction > p. 190
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 13: Cultural Syncretism: Bhakti Movement in India > SUMMARY > p. 196
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 9: Cultural Development in South India > 9.6 Tamil Devotionalism > p. 129
🔗 Anchor: "Which religion does the Sthanakvasi sect belong to within the context of religio..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 ‘Religion’ vs ‘school of thought’ in the Indian context
💡 The insight

Determining whether a named group is a separate religion or a sect/school requires grasping how Indian sources distinguish 'religions' from 'schools of thought'.

Conceptual clarity helps avoid categorical errors in answers — e.g., whether to classify a group as a distinct religion or as a sect within a larger tradition. This aids precision in essays and mains answers; revise textbook treatments and terminological distinctions.

📚 Reading List :
  • Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: India's Cultural Roots > THINK ABOUT IT > p. 119
🔗 Anchor: "Which religion does the Sthanakvasi sect belong to within the context of religio..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

The 'Yapaniya' Sect. It is a lesser-known Jain sect that bridges Digambara and Shvetambara traditions (they worshipped nude images but believed women could attain Moksha). Also, watch out for 'Ajivikas' (Niyati/Fate doctrine).

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Etymology Hack: 'Sthanak' means a simple hall/place, and 'Vasi' means dweller. They stay in halls, not Temples (Mandirs). This implies a rejection of Idol Worship. Vaishnavism and Shaivism are historically temple-centric. Between Buddhism (Viharas) and Jainism, the term 'Sthanak' is uniquely Gujarati/Rajasthani, heavily associated with the Jain merchant community.

🔗 Mains Connection

Polity (Article 21 vs 25): The Sthanakvasi/Jain practice of 'Santhara' or 'Sallekhana' (voluntary fasting to death) has been a major legal debate in the Supreme Court regarding the Right to Life vs. Religious Freedom.

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