Choose the most appropriate explanation for the reason Buddhism grew rapidly both during the lifetime of Buddha and after his death.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → It appealed to many people who were dissatisfied with religious practices and rituals
Option (1) He was very handsome and people flocked to see him — Incorrect. People were drawn by the Buddha’s ideas, not by his looks: the stress on conduct and values rather than birth, and on fellow feeling and compassion.
Option (2) There was absence of other religions at that time — Incorrect. The Buddha’s time was full of other teachers and traditions, such as Mahavira and the Jainas, the Ajivikas and the Lokayatas, who debated with one another.
Option (3) It appealed to many people who were dissatisfied with religious practices and rituals — Correct. Buddhism grew rapidly because it appealed to many people dissatisfied with existing religious practices and confused by the rapid social changes around them.
Option (4) The king told his subjects to follow Buddha — Incorrect. Buddhism did not grow by a king’s order; men and women joined it for its teachings.
NCERT (2026-27): “6. Followers of the Buddha … Buddhism grew rapidly both during the lifetime of the Buddha and after his death, as it appealed to many people dissatisfied with existing religious practices and confused by the rapid social changes taking place around them. The importance attached to conduct and values rather than claims of superiority based on birth, the emphasis placed on metta (fellow feeling) and karuna (compassion), especially for those who were younger and weaker than oneself, were ideas that drew men and women to Buddhist teachings.” |