Question

Buddhism started to decline & lost its grandeur when it was split into two sects :

• A. the Theravada and the Vajrayana
• B. the Zen and the Chan
• C. the Tibetan and the Tantric
• D. the Mahayana and the Hinayana

Answer 1

Answer:

D. the Mahayana and the Hinayana

Buddhism

• Sri Buddha founded Buddhism. The most important of his tenets was Ahimsa.

• Buddha gave importance to one's own karma. He said that life if full of miseries and that the cause of all suffering was human desire.

• The Tripitakas, written in Pali language, comprise the main tenets of Buddhism.

• It has 3 parts- VinayaPitaka, Sutta Pitaka, Abhidharmma Pitaka

1. Vinaya Pitaka (Basket of Discipline): Contains the rules and guidelines for monastic conduct, including the code of ethics for monks and nuns. It consists of five books: Parajika, Pachittiya, Mahavagga, Chullavagga, and Parivara.

2. Sutta Pitaka (Basket of Discourse): Comprises the teachings of the Buddha, including sermons, dialogues, and stories. It is the largest and most well-known part of the Tripitaka.

3. Abhidhamma Pitaka (Basket of Special Doctrine): Focuses on the philosophical and psychological aspects of Buddhism, including the nature of reality, the self, and the path to enlightenment.

• The administrative system of 'Sanghas' were formed to spread Buddhism. Many caves, chaityas (temples), viharas (monasteries) and pillars were built.

• Myanmar, Japan, China, Srilanka, Java and Sumatra became the main centres of Buddhism. The universities of Nalanda, Taxila and Vikramasila were key centres of Buddhist teachings.

• Buddhism started to decline & lost its grandeur when it was split into two sects - the Mahayana and the Hinayana.