Q. Which of the following statements with regard to the Mahasanghika school of Buddhism is/are correct?
1.Mahasanghikas viewed the Buddha not merely as a mortal teacher, but as a supramundane and transcendental figure.
2.Dhanyakataka in Andhra Pradesh served as a major center and stronghold for the Mahasanghika school.
3.Mahasanghika school rejected the concept of mind purity, holding that consciousness is intrinsically polluted and incapable of enlightenment.
Select the answer using the code given below:
Answer: A
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: Unlike the orthodox Sthaviravada, the Mahasanghika tradition deified the Buddha, treating him as a supramundane (Lokottara), eternal, and divine being, which served as an ideological bridge to Mahayana Buddhism.
- Statement 2 is correct: Dhanyakataka (modern Amaravati / Dharanikota in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh), under the patronage of the Satavahana rulers, emerged as the primary base for the Mahasanghika sub-schools, notably the Caityakas and Saila schools.
- Statement 3 is incorrect: The Mahasanghikas held that the fundamental nature of the human mind is luminously pure (Prakriti-prabhasvara-citta), but becomes temporarily obscured or corrupted by external defilements (Kleshas).
