Vedadots
Q42·GS Paper 1 · Prelims 2023

Ancient India stupas — Buddhist origin, repository of relics, votive/commemorative structure

HistoryAncient: Religion & PhilosophyHow-many countingEasyStatic

Question

With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements: How many of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1.

    The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.

  2. 2.

    Stupa was generally a repository of relics.

  3. 3.

    Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition.

Options

a

Only one

b

Only two

Answer
c

All three

d

None

Explanation

Statements 2 and 3 are correct; stupas housed sacred relics of the Buddha or monks and served as powerful votive/commemorative monuments. Statement 1 is incorrect; the architectural and conceptual origin of the stupa (as a funerary mound) predates Buddhism in Vedic traditions. Buddhism adopted and monumentalized it.

Earthen burial mounds (stupas) existed in India well before the Buddha; Buddhism adapted a pre-existing cultural form into its primary religious monument.

Answer: (b).

Question details

Year

2023

Paper

GS Paper 1

Question

Q42

Subject

History

Sub-topic

Ancient: Religion & Philosophy

Type

How-many counting

Difficulty

Easy

Nature

Static

Source hint

NCERT History Cl.12 Ch.4

Same sub-topic — other years

Ancient: Religion & Philosophy has appeared in multiple papers:

See all questions on Ancient: Religion & Philosophy

Browse every tagged question across all years

Explore →