Consider the following statements with reference to the Buddhist tradition of ancient India and choose the correct statements:

1) The world is transient and constantly changing.
2) Buddha emphasised individual agency and righteous action.
3) Buddha regarded the social world as the creation of humans rather than of divine origin.
4) Buddha's last words to his followers were, ‘Be lamps unto yourselves as all of you must work out others liberation’

Choose the correct answer from the given options:

1, 2 and 3

The correct answer is Option 3 - 1, 2 and 3.

The correct statements with reference to the Buddhist tradition of ancient India are:

1) The world is transient and constantly changing.
2) Buddha emphasised individual agency and righteous action.
3) Buddha regarded the social world as the creation of humans rather than of divine origin.

Only statement 4 is incorrect. The correct version is:

4) Buddha's last words to his followers were, ‘“Be lamps unto yourselves as all of you must work out YOUR OWN liberation.”

According to Buddhist philosophy, the world is transient (anicca) and constantly changing (1); it is also soulless (anatta) as there is nothing permanent or eternal in it. Within this transient world, sorrow (dukkha) is intrinsic to human existence. It is by following the path of moderation between severe penance and self-indulgence that human beings can rise above these worldly troubles. In the earliest forms of Buddhism, whether or not god existed was irrelevant.

The Buddha regarded the social world as the creation of humans rather than of divine origin (3). Therefore, he advised kings and gahapatis to be humane and ethical. Individual effort was expected to transform social relations.

The Buddha emphasised individual agency and righteous action (2) as the means to escape from the cycle of rebirth and attain self-realisation and nibbana, literally the extinguishing of the ego and desire – and thus end the cycle of suffering for those who renounced the world. According to Buddhist tradition, his last words to his followers were: “Be lamps unto yourselves as all of you must work out your own liberation.”