With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements: 1) Sthaviravadins belong to Mahayana Buddhism. 2) Lokottaravadin sect was an offshoot of Mahasanghika sect of Buddhism. 3) The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghikas fostered the Mahayana Buddhism. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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CollectorBabu · Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: 2 and 3 only. Explanation ● Statement 1 is incorrect- The Sthaviravadins, later known as Theravadins were of orthodox views and wanted the monks to lead an ascetic ’ s life, whereas the Mahasanghikas or the Mahayanas were of liberal view and wanted the conducts to be flexible. ● Statement 2 is correct- The Lokottaravadin was one of the early Buddhist schools according to Mahayana doxological sources compiled by Bhaviveka, Vinitadeva and others, and was a subgroup which emerged from the Mahasamghika. ● Statement 3 is correct: The liberal Mahasanghikas considered the Buddha an eternal, omnipresent, transcendental being. They speculated that the human Buddha was but an apparition of the transcendental Buddha that was created for the benefit of humankind. In this understanding of the Buddha nature, Mahasanghika thought is something of a prototype of Mahayana.

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