Q. Which of the following statements with regard to the Buddhist Sangha is/are correct?
1.Monks and nuns were admitted into the Sangha from the inception of the order without any gender restrictions.
2.Mahaprajapati Gautami, became the first woman to be ordained into the monastic order following the intervention of Ananda.
3.The rules governing the discipline, admission, and day-to-day administration of the Sangha are codified in the Vinaya Pitaka.
Select the answer using the code given below:
Answer: B
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is incorrect: Initially, the Sangha was restricted exclusively to male monks (Bhikkhus). Women were not admitted at the very beginning.
- Statement 2 is correct: After persistent requests and intercession by his chief attendant Ananda, the Buddha agreed to establish the order of nuns (Bhikkhuni Sangha), and Mahaprajapati Gautami became the first female monastic.
- Statement 3 is correct: The operational rules, moral codes, monastic discipline, and procedural laws of the Sangha are detailed in the Vinaya Pitaka (specifically in the Suttavibhanga and Khandhaka).
