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?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
The first split in the Buddhist order was between the Sthaviravadins (Theravadins, 'followers of the elders') and the Mahasanghikas. The Mahasanghikas saw the Buddha as supramundane (lokottara), a view that paved the way for Mahayana; their best-known subsect was the Lokottaravada.
- ✗ 1. The Sthaviravadins are the Theravada line, the older tradition (Britannica: 'followers of the Way of the Elders'); NCERT notes that Mahayana supporters called this older tradition Hinayana. So the Sthaviravadins do not belong to Mahayana.
- ✓ 2. The Mahasanghika school split into several subsects, the best known being the Lokottaravada, named after its belief in a supramundane Buddha.
- ✓ 3. By treating the Buddha as a transcendent being rather than only a human teacher, the Mahasanghikas became precursors of Mahayana, in which the Buddha came to be worshipped as a saviour.
Remember · First schism (Second Council, Vaishali): Sthaviravadins (Theravada) vs Mahasanghikas. Mahasanghikas → Lokottaravada; their supramundane Buddha idea led towards Mahayana.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter) · Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 2 (practise this chapter) · Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 2 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 4 “However, followers of the older tradition described themselves as theravadins, that is, those who followed the path of old, respected teachers, the theras.”
- NCERT Class 12 · Themes in Indian History, Part I, Chapter 4 “Those who adopted these beliefs described the older tradition as Hinayana or the "lesser vehicle".”
- NCERT Class 7 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Chapter 2 “Theravada, or the 'School of the Elders', took shape around the 3rd century BCE. It is considered closest to the Buddha's original teachings”
- NCERT Class 7 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Chapter 2 “Mahayana or the 'Great Vehicle' came into being around the 1st century BCE, incorporating new ideas and practices, such as a belief that the Buddha had a divine nature and could guide people in many forms.”
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Mahasanghika ↗ · reference work “early Buddhist school in India that, in its views of the nature of the Buddha , was a precursor of the Mahāyāna tradition. … It further divided into several subsects, of which the best known was the Lokottaravāda (so called because of its views on lokottara ). … later texts emphasize differences between the Mahāsaṅghikas and the original Theravādins (“followers of the Way of the Elders”) regarding the nature of the Buddha and of arhatship (sainthood).”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·