Q72 (IAS/2020) History & Culture › Culture, Literature, Religion & Philosophy › Buddhist doctrine and sects Official Key

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements : 1. Sthaviravadins belong to Mahayana Buddhism. 2. Lokottaravadin sect was an offshoot of Mahasanghika sect of Buddhism. 3. The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghikas fostered the Mahayana Buddhism. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Result

Your answer: — · Correct: B

Explanation

The correct answer is Option 2 (2 and 3 only). This is based on the early evolution of Buddhist schools and the transition from early sects to Mahayana.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Sthaviravadins (believers in the teachings of the elders) were the precursors to the Theravada tradition. They represented the orthodox, conservative branch that rejected innovations, placing them in contrast to the Mahayana tradition.
Statement 2 is correct: The Lokottaravadin sect was indeed a sub-school or offshoot of the Mahasanghikas. They were known for their "supramundane" (Lokottara) view of the Buddha, asserting that the Buddha’s physical body was merely a manifestation and his nature was transcendental.
Statement 3 is correct: The Mahasanghikas pioneered the deification of the Buddha, shifting the focus from a human teacher to a divine entity. This transcendental perspective and the emphasis on the Bodhisattva path directly fostered the rise of Mahayana Buddhism.

Thus, statements 2 and 3 accurately reflect the historical development of Buddhist philosophy, while statement 1 incorrectly categorizes an orthodox sect.

How others answered

Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.

Community Performance

Out of everyone who attempted this question.

59%

got it right

Web / Current Affairs

Online pages / news items supporting the statement

Web source

Presence: 5/5

"One group, opposed to any change whatever, came to be known as the Sthaviravadins (Theravadins) who followed what was believed to be the original teaching ... They taught that it is necessary for all humans to strive for Arahantship or release from the"

Why this source?

Explicitly identifies the Sthaviravadins (Theravadins) as a group opposed to doctrinal change, emphasizing arahantship — a position distinct from Mahayana goals.
Describes Sthaviravadins as following the original teaching agreed at the first Council, implying they were part of Nikaya/Hinayana tradition rather than Mahayana.

Web source

Presence: 4/5

"The Mahasanghikas’s views on the nature of the Buddha ... foreshadowed the development of the Mahayana form of Buddhism. ... A subdivision within the Sthaviravadins emerged in the 3rd century bc, when the Sarvastivadins ... broke away"

Why this source?

Distinguishes Mahasanghikas (whose views foreshadowed Mahayana) from other schools and notes the Sthaviravadins as a separate grouping with their own subdivisions.
States a subdivision within the Sthaviravadins (the Sarvastivadins) broke away — indicating Sthaviravadins were not themselves Mahayana but part of early sectarian (Nikaya) Buddhism.

Web source

Presence: 4/5

"Since the Sarvastivadins also made doctrinal contributions to Mahayana Buddhism, the most significant ... is determining what institutional ties might have existed between the Mahasanghika order and Mahayana Buddhists."

Why this source?

Notes that Mahasanghika views were close to Mahayana and that Sarvastivadins (an offshoot related to Sthaviravadins) also made contributions to Mahayana—implying Mahayana chiefly arose from other lineages, not from the Sthaviravadins as a whole.
Distinguishes doctrinal sources and institutional ties between Mahasanghika, Sarvastivadin, and Mahayana, rather than equating Sthaviravadins with Mahayana.

Indirect textbook clues (5)

How books hint at the answer

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 3: Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects > Buddhist Sects > p. 42

Strength: 5/5

“In course of time, Mahasanghikas, Sthaviravadins and Sarvastivadins emerged as major sects of Buddhism. New ideas emerged among the Mahasanghikas and Sarvastivadins. It led to the emergence of Mahayana and Hinayana (the Great and Lesser Vehicles) in Buddhism. Mahayana or the Great Vehicle became popular and influential in India. Nalanda University was an important centre of Buddhist learning and was patronised by the Palas. Mahayana spread to China and Japan. Hinayana or the Lesser Vehicle became popular in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand and other South-east Asian countries. By the end of the Gupta period, Vajrayana or the Vehicle of the Thunderbolt emerged.”

Why relevant

Lists Mahasanghikas, Sthaviravadins and Sarvastivadins as major sects and states Mahayana emerged from new ideas among Mahasanghikas and Sarvastivadins.

How to extend

A student could infer that because Mahayana is tied to Mahasanghikas and Sarvastivadins, Sthaviravadins were less likely to be originators or core proponents of Mahayana and might instead be associated with the non‑Mahayana side.

THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > Hinayana or Theravada? > p. 103

Strength: 5/5

“Supporters of Mahayana regarded other Buddhists as followers of Hinayana. However, followers of the older tradition described themselves as theravadins, that is, those who followed the path of old, respected teachers, the theras.”

Why relevant

Explains that supporters of Mahayana called others 'Hinayana' and that older tradition followers described themselves as theravadins (those following the path of the theras).

How to extend

A student could map Sthaviravadin linguistically/ideologically to 'sthavira' (elder) / 'thera' (elder) traditions and thus suspect Sthaviravadins belonged to the older/Hinayana tradition rather than Mahayana.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 3: Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects > Decline of Buddhism in India > p. 43

Strength: 3/5

“Buddhism faced divisions from time to time. Division into various splinter groups like 'Hinayana', 'Mahayana', 'Vajrayana', 'Tantrayana' and 'Sahajayana' led Buddhism to lose its originality. Pali and Prakrit were the spoken languages of people of north India, and it was through these languages the message of Buddhism was spread. But ever since the times of Fourth Buddhist Council held during the reign of Kanishka, Sanskrit had come to be adopted. Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects P = 43 ٨”

Why relevant

Notes doctrinal and linguistic shifts (e.g., Fourth Council, adoption of Sanskrit) accompanying Buddhist divisions and the emergence of new branches.

How to extend

A student could use this pattern to test which sects (Sthaviravadins vs Mahasanghikas/Sarvastivadins) were implicated in later doctrinal innovations like Mahayana by comparing their historical roles in councils and language use.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 8: Harsha and Rise of Regional Kingdoms > Religious Policy > p. 109

Strength: 3/5

“Harsha was a worshipper of Siva at least up to 631 CE. But he embraced Buddhism under the influence of his sister Rajyasri and the Buddhist monk Hieun Tsang. He subscribed to the Mahayana school of thought. Yet he held discourses among learned men of various creeds. Slaughter of animals and consumption of meat was restricted. Harsha summoned two Buddhist assemblies (643 CE), one at Kanauj and another at Prayag. The assembly at Kanauj was attended by 20 kings including Bhaskaravarman of Kamarupa. A large number of Buddhist, Jain and Vedic scholars attended the assembly. A golden statue of Buddha was consecrated in a monastery and a small statue of Buddha (three feet) was brought out in a procession.”

Why relevant

Records a historical ruler (Harsha) explicitly subscribing to the Mahayana school, illustrating that Mahayana was a distinct, identifiable school with historical patrons.

How to extend

A student could use lists of known Mahayana patrons/centres versus lists of sect names (e.g., Sthaviravadins) to see whether Sthaviravadins appear among Mahayana supporters or instead among the older traditions.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 8: Harsha and Rise of Regional Kingdoms > Religion > p. 112

Strength: 2/5

“The Palas were great patrons of Mahayana Buddhism. The Buddhist philosopher Haribhadra was the spiritual preceptor of Dharmapala, the founder of the Pala kingdom. Bengal remained one of the few places where Buddhist monasteries continued to exist. The kingdom as well as Buddhism soon suffered decline because of large-scale conversion of merchants and artisans to Islam.”

Why relevant

States that the Palas were great patrons of Mahayana Buddhism, showing geographic/political centres of Mahayana influence.

How to extend

A student could compare the geographic/political strongholds of Sthaviravadins (if known) with Pala/Mahayana centres to assess alignment or separation between Sthaviravadins and Mahayana.

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements : 1. Sautrantika and Sammitiya were the sects of Jainism. 2. Sarvastivadin held that the constituents of phenomena were not wholly momentary, but existed forever in a latent form. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements : 1. The concept of Bodhisattva is central to 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?

With reference to the cultural history of medieval India, consider the following statements : 1. Siddhas (Sittars) of Tamil region were monotheistic and condemned idolatry. 2. Lingayats of Kannada region questioned the theory of rebirth and rejected the caste hierarchy. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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