Ancient History Test 1

Solution: a)

Brahmanism, ancient Indian religious tradition that emerged from the earlier Vedic religion. In the early 1st millennium BCE, Brahmanism emphasized the rites performed by, and the status of, the Brahman, or priestly, class as well as speculation about brahman (the Absolute reality) as theorized in the Upanishads (speculative philosophical texts that are considered to be part of the Vedas, or scriptures). In contrast, the form of Hinduism that emerged after the mid-1st millennium BCE stressed devotion (bhakti) to particular deities such as Shiva and Vishnu.

The term Brahmanism is considered synonymous with Hinduism, by some scholars.[6][7] Others consider the transition from ancient Brahmanism into schools of Hinduism that emerged later as a form of evolution, which happened imperceptibly, and one that preserved many of the central ideas and theosophy in the Vedas, and synergistically integrated new ideas.[8] Of the major traditions that emerged from Brahmanism are the six darshanas, particular the Vedanta, Samkhya and Yoga schools of Hinduism.

Solution: d)

Samkhya or Sankhya is one of the six āstika schools of Hindu philosophy. It is most related to the Yoga school of Hinduism, and it was influential on other schools of Indian philosophy. Sāmkhya is an enumerationist philosophy whose epistemology accepts three of six pramanas (proofs) as the only reliable means of gaining knowledge. These include pratyakṣa (perception), anumāṇa (inference) and śabda (āptavacana, word/testimony of reliable sources). Sometimes described as one of the rationalist schools of Indian philosophy, this ancient school’s reliance on reason was exclusive but strong.

Solution: a)

This was asked in CS Prelims – 2017 in different form.

Sautrāntika, ancient school of Buddhism that emerged in India about the 2nd century BC as an offshoot of the Sarvāstivāda (“All-Is-Real Doctrine”). The school is so called because of its reliance on the sutras, or words of the Buddha, and its rejection of the authority of the Abhidharma, a part of the canon.

Solution: c)

https://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/buddhism/traditions-buddhism.html

The Mahāyāna tradition is the largest major tradition of Buddhism existing today, with 53.2% of practitioners, compared to 35.8% for Theravada and 5.7% for Vajrayana in 2010.[5] In the course of its history, Mahāyāna Buddhism spread from India to various other South, East and Southeast Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Mahayana Buddhism also spread to other South and Southeast Asian countries, such as Afghanistan, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, the Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Iran and other Central Asian countries before being replaced by Theravada Buddhism or other religions.

Solution: d)

Source: AN INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN ART NCERT

Avalokiteshvara, (Sanskrit: avalokita, “looking on”; ishivara, “lord”)Chinese (Pinyin) Guanyin or (Wade-Giles romanization) Kuan-yin, Japanese Kannon, in Buddhism, and primarily in Mahayana (“Greater Vehicle”) Buddhism, the bodhisattva (“buddha-to-be”) of infinite compassion and mercy, possibly the most popular of all figures in Buddhist legend. Avalokiteshvara is beloved throughout the Buddhist world—not only in Mahayana Buddhism but also in Theravada (“Way of the Elders”), the branch of Buddhism that largely does not recognize bodhisattvas, and in Vajrayana (“Diamond Vehicle”), the Tantric (or Esoteric) branch of Buddhism.

Avalokiteshvara, Padmapani, Vajrapani,. Amitabha, and Maitreya Buddha are all Boddhisattvas.

Solution: a)

Animism is the religious belief that objects, places and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, human handiwork and perhaps even words—as animated and alive.

Solution: b)

Shaktism (Sanskrit: Śāktaḥ,; lit., “doctrine of energy, power, the Goddess”) is a major tradition of Hinduism, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered feminine and the Devi (goddess) is supreme. It includes a variety of goddesses, all considered aspects of the same supreme goddess. Shaktism has different sub-traditions, ranging from those focussed on gracious Lakshmi to fierce Kali, and some Shakti sub-traditions associate their goddess with Shiva or Vishnu.

Solution: c)

Theravada Buddhism is strongest in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Burma (Myanmar). It is sometimes called ‘Southern Buddhism’.

The name means ‘the doctrine of the elders’ – the elders being the senior Buddhist monks.

This school of Buddhism believes that it has remained closest to the original teachings of the Buddha. However, it does not over-emphasise the status of these teachings in a fundamentalist way – they are seen as tools to help people understand the truth, and not as having merit of their own.

Solution: a)

Mathurā art, style of Buddhist visual art that flourished in the trading and pilgrimage centre of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India, from the 2nd century BC to the 12th century AD; its most distinctive contributions were made during the Kushān and Gupta periods (1st–6th century AD). Images in the mottled red sandstone from the nearby Sīkri quarries are found widely distributed over north central India, attesting to Mathurā’s importance as an exporter of sculpture. The Mathurā school was contemporaneous with a second important school of Kushān art, that of Gandhāra in the northwest, which shows strong Greco-Roman influence.

The materials used for Gandhara sculpture were green phyllite and gray-blue mica schist which in general, belong to an earlier phase, and stucco, which was used increasingly after the 3rd century CE. The sculptures were originally painted and gilded.

Solution: a)

A statue of Kanishka was found in the village Mat, near Mathura by Pandit Radha Krishna in 1911. At first glance, the statue appears very ordinary without much details which are usually present in Indian art. However, it is interesting to note that nearly every scholar of ancient Indian history has commented on this piece of art. According to Romila Thapar, the statue represents “the king as an impressive figure in boots and coat.” The boots and the coat are mentioned in most of the commentaries on this sculpture. For example, Edith Tömöry notes that they were inappropriate to the hot climate of Mathura and were most probably brought from their native place and worn during ceremonies

Solution: c)

Similar question was asked by UPSC in CSP – 2013

Sāṅkhya (often spelled Sāṁkhya) is one of the major “orthodox” (or Hindu) Indian philosophies. Two millennia ago it was the representative Hindu philosophy. Its classical formulation is found in Īśvarakṛṣṇa’s Sāṅkhya-Kārikā (ca. 350 C.E.), a condensed account in seventy-two verses. It is a strong Indian example of metaphysical dualism, but unlike many Western counterparts it is atheistic. The two types of entities of Sāṅkhya are Prakṛti and puruṣa-s, namely Nature and persons. Nature is singular, and persons are numerous. Both are eternal and independent of each other. Persons (puruṣa-s) are essentially unchangeable, inactive, conscious entities, who nonetheless gain something from contact with Nature.

Solution: d)

It is a twelve volume compendium of songs or hymns in praise of Shiva in the Tamil language from the 6th to the 11th century by various poets in South India.

It is not secular like Sangam literature.

Solution: c)

Sangam literature deals with emotional and material topics such as love, war, governance, trade and bereavement.[12] Some of the greatest Tamil scholars, like Thiruvalluvar, who wrote on ethics, and on the various issues of life like virtue, wealth and love, or the Tamil poet Mamulanar, who explored historical incidents that happened in India, lived during the Sangam period.

Solution: a)

In Buddhism, the Vajrayana tradition is known for its extensive tantra ideas and practices. Tantric Hindu and Buddhist traditions have influenced other Eastern religious traditions such as Jainism, Sikhism, the Tibetan Bön tradition, Daoism, and the Japanese Shintō tradition. Tantra introduced icons, puja and temple building into Hinduism. The Hindu texts that describe these topics are called Tantras, Āgamas or Samhitās.

Solution: a)

The statue Gommateshwara is dedicated to the Jain god Bahubali. It was built around 983 A.D. and is one of the largest free standing statues in the world.[1] The construction of the statue was commissioned by the Ganga dynasty minister and commander, Chavundaraya. Neighboring areas have Jain temples known as basadis and several images of the Tirthankaras.

Solution: b)

The Vedic period or Vedic age (c. 1500 – c. 600 BCE) is the period in the history of the Indian subcontinent intervening between the end of the urban Indus Valley Civilization, and a second urbanisation which began in c. 600 BCE. It gets its name from the Vedas, which are liturgical texts containing details of life during this period that have been interpreted to be historical[1] and constitute the primary sources for understanding the period. The Vedas were composed and orally transmitted by speakers of an Old Indo-Aryan language who had migrated into the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent early in this period.

The associated Vedic culture was tribal and pastoral until c. 1200 or 1100 BCE, and centred in the Punjab. It then spread eastward to the Ganges Plain, becoming more agricultural and settled. The Vedic period saw the emergence of a hierarchy of social classes and coalesce into Janapada (monarchical, state-level polities).[2][3] Archaeological cultures identified with phases of Vedic material culture include the Ochre Coloured Pottery culture, the Gandhara Grave culture, the Black and red ware culture and the Painted Grey Ware culture.

The end of the Vedic period witnessed the rise of Mahajanapada (large, urbanised states) as well as shramana movements (including Jainism and Buddhism) which challenged the Vedic orthodoxy.[5] Around the beginning of the Common Era, the Vedic tradition formed one of the main constituents of the so-called “Hindu synthesis”.

Solution: d)

The Painted Grey Ware culture (PGW) is an Iron Age culture of the western Gangetic plain and the Ghaggar-Hakra valley, lasting from roughly 1200 BCE to 600 BCE.[1][2][3] It is a successor of the Black and red ware culture (BRW) within this region, and contemporary with the continuation of the BRW culture in the eastern Gangetic plain and Central India.[4] Characterized by a style of fine, grey pottery painted with geometric patterns in black,[5] the PGW culture is associated with village and town settlements, domesticated horses, ivory-working, and the advent of iron metallurgy.

The PGW Culture probably corresponds to the middle and late Vedic period, i.e., the Kuru-Panchala kingdom, the first large state in South Asia after the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization.[9][10] It is succeeded by Northern Black Polished Ware from c. 700-500 BCE, associated with the rise of the great mahajanapada states and of the Magadha Empire.

Solution: b)

The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), or Harappan Civilisation,[1] was a Bronze Age civilisation (3300–1300 BCE; mature period 2600–1900 BCE) mainly in the northwestern regions of South Asia, extending from what today is northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and northwest India.[2] Along with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, it was one of three early cradles of civilisations of the Old World, and of the three, the most widespread.

Solution: c)

Ganweriwala is situated near the Indian border on the dry river bed of the Ghaggar-Hakra (in Pakistan’s Punjab province) , now a part of vast desert. It is spread over 80 hectares and comparable in size with the largest sites of the Indus Valley Civilization, such as Mohenjo-daro. But it is not excavated and only identified and it may turn up as top five largest towns of Indus Valley Civilisation.

Solution: d)

Śramaṇa (Sanskrit; Pali: samaṇa) means “seeker, one who performs acts of austerity, ascetic”.[1] The term refers to several Indian religious movements parallel to but separate from the historical Vedic religion. The śramaṇa tradition includes Jainism,[2] Buddhism,[3] and others such as the Ājīvikas, Ajñanas and Cārvākas.[4][5] The śramaṇa movements arose in the same circles of mendicants in ancient India that led to the development of yogic practices,[6] as well as the popular concepts in all major Indian religions such as saṃsāra (the cycle of birth and death) and moksha (liberation from that cycle).