Which of the following statements with regard to early Buddhist literary sources is/are correct? 1. Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa are Sri Lankan Pali chronicles that provide historical and legendary accounts of the spread of Buddhism and King Ashoka's missions. 2. Mahavastu is a canonical text of the Theravada tradition composed in Sanskrit. Select the answer using the code given below: |ForumIAS

[A] 1 only

[B] 2 only

[C] Both 1 and 2

[D] Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: A

Notes:

Detailed Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Dipavamsa (Chronicle of the Island) and Mahavamsa (Great Chronicle) are historical chronicles composed in Sri Lanka. They detail the early history of the island, royal genealogies, and the history of Buddhism, including Ashoka’s mission led by Mahendra and Sanghamitra.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The Mahavastu (Great Event) is a biographical and hagiographical text of the Lokottaravada sub-school of the Mahasanghika tradition (not Theravada). It is written in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit (a mixture of Prakrit and Sanskrit).