Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

History

Chapter

Ancient India: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings

Question:

Which of the following statement is/are correct about the Buddhist texts?

Options:

None of the Buddha's speeches were written down during his lifetime.

After the death of Buddhahis teachings were compiled by his disciples at a council of "elders" or senior monks at Vesali.

These compilations were known as Tipitaka- literally, three baskets to hold different types of texts.

All of the above.

Correct Answer:

All of the above.

Explanation:

The teachings of the Buddha and other revered teachers were primarily conveyed orally through discussions and debates. Men and women, and possibly even children, attended these discourses and engaged in discussions about what they heard. Interestingly, none of the Buddha's speeches were written down during his lifetime. However, after his passing in the fifth or fourth century BCE, his disciples compiled his teachings during a council of "elders" or senior monks at Vesali (present-day Vaishali, Bihar). These compilations were collectively known as the Tipitaka, signifying three baskets that contained different types of texts. Initially transmitted orally, they were later written down and classified based on their length and subject matter.

The Tipitaka consisted of the Vinaya Pitaka, which included rules and regulations for those who joined the monastic order (sangha); the Sutta Pitaka, containing the Buddha's teachings; and the Abhidhamma Pitaka, which delved into philosophical matters. Each pitaka comprised multiple individual texts. Over time, Buddhist scholars wrote commentaries on these texts.

As Buddhism expanded to new regions like Sri Lanka, additional texts were written, including the Dipavamsa (the chronicle of the island) and the Mahavamsa (the great chronicle), encompassing regional histories of Buddhism and biographies of the Buddha. Some of the earliest texts were composed in Pali, while later works were in Sanskrit.

With the spread of Buddhism to East Asia, pilgrims like Fa Xian and Xuan Zang journeyed from China to India, seeking texts that they brought back to their homeland and translated with the help of scholars. Indian Buddhist teachers also embarked on travels to distant places, carrying texts to disseminate the Buddha's teachings.

Buddhist texts were preserved in manuscript form for several centuries in monasteries across different parts of Asia. In modern times, scholars have prepared translations from Pali, Sanskrit, Chinese, and Tibetan texts, ensuring that the profound wisdom of Buddhism continues to enrich and inspire people around the world.