Read the passage and answer the questions:
Siddhartha was the son of a chief of the Sakya clan. He had a sheltered upbringing within the palace. His first journey into the world outside was traumatic. When he saw an old man, a sick man and a corpse he realised that the decay and destruction of the human body was inevitable. He left the palace and set out in search of his own truth. After many attempts he finally attained enlightenment, and came to be known as Buddha. He taught dhamma or the path of righteous living. Sutta Pitaka mainly focuses on the teachings of the Buddha. According to Buddhist philosophy, the world is transient (anicca) and constantly changing; 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. The Buddha emphasised individual agency and righteous action as the means to escape from the cycle of rebirth and attain self realisation and nibbana.
Which one of the following is not a part of the Buddhist philosophy?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Sukkha
Option (1) Anicca — A part of Buddhist philosophy. Anicca means that the world is transient and constantly changing.
Option (2) Anatta — A part of Buddhist philosophy. Anatta means that the world is soulless, as there is nothing permanent or eternal in it.
Option (3) Dukkha — A part of Buddhist philosophy. Dukkha is sorrow, which is intrinsic to human existence in this transient world.
Option (4) Sukkha — Not a part of Buddhist philosophy. Sukkha means happiness, the opposite of dukkha. Buddhist philosophy holds that sorrow, not happiness, is intrinsic to human existence, and that people rise above worldly troubles by following the path of moderation.
Note: The term ‘sukkha’ is not in NCERT (2026-27); it is explained here for the benefit of the students.
NCERT (2026-27): “5. The Teachings of the Buddha … According to Buddhist philosophy, the world is transient (anicca) and constantly changing; 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.…” |