Consider the following statements.1. King Ashoka made great efforts t...
Statement 1: King Ashoka made great efforts to propagate Buddhism outside India.
This statement is correct. King Ashoka, also known as Ashoka the Great, played a significant role in the spread of Buddhism outside India. After the Kalinga War, which caused immense suffering and loss of life, Ashoka converted to Buddhism and became a devoted follower of the religion. He embarked on a mission to spread the teachings of Buddhism to neighboring regions and beyond. Ashoka sent Buddhist missionaries to various parts of the world, including Sri Lanka, Nepal, Burma, and even as far as Greece and Egypt. His efforts greatly contributed to the global dissemination of Buddhism.
Statement 2: Thonmi Sambhota, a Greek minister, was a student at Nalanda.
This statement is incorrect. Thonmi Sambhota was not a Greek minister but a Tibetan scholar and minister. He is known for his role in the development of the Tibetan script and his contributions to the translation of Buddhist texts into Tibetan. Nalanda, on the other hand, was a renowned ancient center of learning in India, but there is no evidence to suggest that Thonmi Sambhota was a student there.
Statement 3: Sundo was the first Buddhist monk who entered Korea carrying a Buddha image.
This statement is correct. Sundo, also known as Marananta, was a Buddhist monk from India who is believed to be the first to introduce Buddhism to Korea. According to historical records, Sundo arrived in Korea in the 4th century CE carrying a small Buddha image and introduced the teachings of Buddhism to the people. His arrival marked the beginning of Buddhism's influence in Korea, which eventually became one of the major centers of Buddhist practice in East Asia.
Therefore, the correct answer is option C) - 1 and 3 only.
Consider the following statements.1. King Ashoka made great efforts t...
King Ashoka made great efforts to propagate Buddhism outside India sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka to spread the message of the Buddha. The teachings of the Buddha were transmitted orally by the Srilankan people who had gone from India. For around 200 years the people of Sri Lanka preserved the recitation of Buddhist scriptures as transmitted by Mahendra. The first monasteries built there are Mahavihava and Abhayagiri. The Dipvamsa and Mahavamsa are well known Sri Lankan Buddhist sources. Thonmi Sambhota, a Tibetan minister was a student at Nalanda. Thonmi Sambhota studied there and after going back, he preached Buddhism in Tibet. A large number of Tibetans embraced Buddhism. Even the king became a Buddhist. He declared Buddhism as the State religion. Many Chinese and Indian scholars travelled through ancient Silk routes to propagate the philosophy of Buddhism.
People from all over the world came to visit the land of the Buddha. They stayed in India and collected Buddhist relics and manuscripts related to Buddhism and learnt about its sayings at the various educational centres. Buddhism went to Korea through China. Sundo was the first Buddhist Monk who entered Korea, carrying a Buddha image and sutras in AD 352. He was followed by Acharya Mallananda, who reached there in AD 384. Out of devotion to wisdom, Buddhist texts were printed by the Koreans in six thousand volumes. In Japan, Buddhism is given the status of State Religion. Thousands of Japanese became monks and nuns.