MCQs Based On Ancient History – (32)

Correct Option: 2. Naga and Nagi
Explanation: In early Buddhist Stupa art, particularly at Sanchi, Bharhut, and Amaravati, the Nagas (male serpent deities) and Naginis (female serpent deities) were incorporated as guardian spirits.
• In pre-Buddhist Indian folk tradition, Nagas were revered as protectors of water bodies, fertility, and prosperity.
• When Buddhism spread, these local deities were assimilated rather than rejected.
• Artists depicted Nagas as serpent-bodied beings or human figures with serpent hoods, often placed at gateways or railings of stupas, symbolizing protection of the Dharma and the sacred site.
This incorporation shows how Buddhism adapted local beliefs to reach wider audiences and create a syncretic religious art form.

Correct Option: 1. Generosity and protection
Explanation: Yakshas and Yakshinis were nature spirits in ancient Indian folk religion associated with trees, fertility, and abundance.
• In the pre-Buddhist period, they were worshipped as local tutelary deities who ensured prosperity.
• In early Buddhist art (Sanchi, Bharhut, Mathura), these figures were reinterpreted to embody Buddhist ideals such as compassion, generosity (dāna), and protective benevolence.
• Their voluptuous forms and graceful postures (like the famous Shalabhanjika Yakshini at Sanchi) symbolized fertility and life, aligning with Buddhism’s celebration of spiritual as well as natural abundance.
Thus, Buddhist artists transformed pre-existing folk imagery into moral exemplars supporting the faith’s values.

Correct Option: 2. To teach moral and ethical lessons
Explanation: Jataka tales recount the previous births of the Buddha in human or animal form.
• Each tale illustrates a moral virtue (like honesty, sacrifice, or compassion) that the Bodhisattva practiced before achieving enlightenment.
• Early stupas like Sanchi, Bharhut, and Amaravati used narrative relief panels to depict these stories visually.
• The storytelling was non-verbal yet didactic, allowing even the illiterate laity to grasp the essence of Buddhist ethics.
• Example: The Ruru Jataka (where Buddha saves a drowning man as a deer) demonstrates selfless compassion.
Hence, Jataka depictions served as visual sermons, spreading Buddhist values to all sections of society.

Correct Option: 3. His enlightenment under the Bodhi tree
Explanation: The Bhumisparsha Mudra (Earth-touching gesture) is one of the most iconic postures of the Buddha.
• In this gesture, the Buddha is seated in meditation with his right hand touching the earth.
• It represents the moment when Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, calling the Earth Goddess (Prithvi) to witness his victory over Mara, the lord of illusion and temptation.
• Symbolically, this mudra expresses the triumph of truth and self-discipline over worldly distractions.
It became a universal symbol of enlightenment and is frequently carved on Stupa gateways and pillars.

Correct Option: 2. The eternal truth and teachings of Buddha
Explanation: The Dharmachakra (Wheel of Dharma) is one of Buddhism’s earliest and most sacred symbols.
• It symbolizes the Buddha’s first sermon at Sarnath, known as Dharmachakra Pravartana (“Turning the Wheel of Dharma”).
• The wheel represents the eternal and cyclical nature of existence (Samsara) and the perpetuation of Dharma through teaching.
• Typically, the wheel has eight spokes, each symbolizing one step of the Noble Eightfold Path (Right View, Thought, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration).
• It conveys that following these principles sets the wheel of righteousness in motion.
Thus, the Chakra stands for universal law, spiritual progress, and the continuous flow of truth.