Q1. Where was Gautama Buddha born?
- Sarnath
- Bodh Gaya
- Lumbini
- Kushinagar
Correct Option: 3. Lumbini
Explanation: Gautama Buddha was born in 563 BCE at Lumbini, near Kapilavastu, in present-day Nepal. His father, Suddhodana, was the chief of the Sakya clan, which is why Buddha is also called Sakyamuni. Lumbini has been marked as a major pilgrimage site and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. His birth is believed to have taken place on Vaishakha Poornima, a full moon day, making it a sacred day in Buddhism.
Q2. What event is referred to as the “Mahabhinishkramana”?
- Buddha’s birth
- Buddha’s enlightenment
- Buddha’s first sermon
- Buddha’s renunciation of worldly life
Correct Option: 4. Buddha’s renunciation of worldly life
Explanation: Mahabhinishkramana means the “Great Going Forth” or the Great Renunciation. At the age of 29, Siddhartha left behind his palace, wealth, wife (Yashodhara), and son (Rahula) in search of the truth about suffering and existence. After witnessing old age, sickness, death, and an ascetic, he realized that a luxurious life could not offer answers to life’s suffering. This event marked the beginning of his journey as a spiritual seeker.
Q3. Under which tree did Buddha attain enlightenment?
- Sal Tree
- Banyan Tree
- Peepal Tree
- Neem Tree
Correct Option: 3. Peepal Tree
Explanation: Siddhartha attained Nirvana (Enlightenment) at the age of 35 under a Peepal Tree in Bodh Gaya (present-day Bihar), near the banks of the Niranjana River. This tree later came to be known as the Bodhi Tree, symbolizing awakening. The event occurred after six years of intense meditation and ascetic practice, and it transformed Siddhartha into the Buddha or the “Enlightened One”.
Q4. Which of the following is not one of the Four Noble Truths?
- Life is full of suffering
- There is a cause for suffering
- Suffering can be eliminated
- Worship of God leads to salvation
Correct Option: 4. Worship of God leads to salvation
Explanation: Buddhism does not emphasize the worship of any God or deity for salvation. Instead, the Buddha taught that suffering (dukkha) is a central reality of life. The Four Noble Truths are:
1. Life is full of suffering (dukkha)
2. There is a cause for suffering (tanha – desire)
3. There is an end to suffering (nirvana)
4. There is a path that leads to the end of suffering (Eightfold Path)
Thus, liberation (nirvana) is attained through self-effort, ethical living, and meditation—not through divine worship.
Q5. What does the term “Nirvana” mean in Buddhism?
- Heaven
- Physical death
- Extinction of desire and suffering
- Union with God
Correct Option: 3. Extinction of desire and suffering
Explanation: In Buddhism, Nirvana refers to a state of liberation and freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsara). It does not mean heaven or physical death, nor does it mean union with a god (since Buddhism denies the existence of a permanent God). Nirvana is achieved by extinguishing the fires of desire (tanha), hatred, ignorance, and ego. It is the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice—a state of inner peace and wisdom.