MCQs Based On Ancient History – (33)

Correct Option: 2. Rajagriha – King Ajatasatru
Explanation: The First Buddhist Council took place soon after the Buddha’s death (Parinirvana) in 483 BC.
• Location: Sattapani Caves, Rajagriha (modern Rajgir, Bihar).
• Patron: King Ajatasatru of the Haryanka Dynasty.
• President: Mahakassapa, a close disciple of Buddha.
• Objective: To preserve and codify Buddha’s teachings.
  • Ananda recited the Sutta Pitaka (discourses of Buddha).
  • Upali (or Mahakassapa) recited the Vinaya Pitaka (monastic rules).
This council laid the foundation for the oral tradition of Buddhist scripture, ensuring doctrinal purity before later written codifications.

Correct Option: 1. Compilation of the Abhidhamma Pitaka
Explanation: The Third Buddhist Council was held around 250 BC at Pataliputra (modern Patna).
• Patron: Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Dynasty.
• President: Moggaliputta Tissa, a learned monk.
• Purpose: To purify the Sangha, which had grown corrupt with heretical monks.
• Outcome:
  • Compilation of the Abhidhamma Pitaka, the third and final part of the Tripitaka (Pali Canon), focusing on philosophical and psychological analysis of Buddhist thought.
  • Ashoka also sent missionaries abroad (to Sri Lanka, Central Asia, and the Mediterranean world), spreading Buddhism beyond India.
Thus, this council was both a spiritual consolidation and a missionary milestone.

Correct Option: 4. Fourth Council
Explanation: The Fourth Buddhist Council (c. 72 AD) was convened under King Kanishka of the Kushan Dynasty at Kundalvana (Kashmir).
• Presidents: Vasumitra and Ashvaghosha, prominent scholars.
• Language: Sanskrit (marking a linguistic shift from Pali).
• The council codified Buddhist scriptures into commentaries known as the Mahavibhasha.
• This event formalized the split in the Buddhist community:
  • Mahayana (“Greater Vehicle”) – Believed in Bodhisattvas, idol worship, rituals, and viewed         Buddha as divine.
  • Hinayana (“Lesser Vehicle”) – Upheld original teachings, individual salvation, and used         Pali scriptures.
This ideological division shaped Buddhism’s later global evolution, especially in East and Southeast Asia.

Correct Option: 3. Its liberal and democratic principles
Explanation: Buddhism’s growth owed much to its egalitarian nature.
• It rejected Brahmanical ritualism and the varna (caste) system, which restricted social mobility.
• Admission into the Sangha (monastic order) was open to all—men and women, rich or poor, high or low caste.
• The Buddha’s ethical focus (non-violence, compassion, mindfulness) resonated with the common people.
• Moreover, Ashoka’s patronage institutionalized Buddhism through edicts, stupas, and public welfare.
Thus, Buddhism became a mass movement, promoting spiritual equality and moral living over ritual orthodoxy.

Correct Option: 2. Emperor Ashoka
Explanation: Under Emperor Ashoka (r. 268–232 BC) of the Maurya dynasty, Buddhism evolved from a regional sect to a world religion.
• After the Kalinga War, Ashoka embraced Buddhism and became its greatest patron.
• He organized the Third Council to purify the doctrine and then sent missionaries to Sri Lanka (his son Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitta), Central Asia, Egypt, and Greece.
• His Rock and Pillar Edicts across India and South Asia propagated the Dhamma (righteous conduct) and non-violence.
This imperial support ensured Buddhism’s international expansion and enduring cultural influence.