Q. Which of the following statements with regard to the Sthaviravada school of Buddhism is/are correct?
1.It adhered to the original monastic rules compiled in the Vinaya Pitaka and rejected procedural relaxations.
2.Viewed Gautama Buddha as a transcendent and supramundane divine entity.
3.Sammitiyas, Vibhajjavadins, and Vatsiputriyas developed as major sub-sects within this tradition.
Select the answer using the code given below:
Answer: A
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: The Sthaviravada (Way of the Elders) faction preserved strict, traditional monastic discipline as codified in the Vinaya Pitaka.
- Statement 2 is incorrect: The Sthaviravadins regarded Gautama Buddha as a human being who attained supreme enlightenment (Nibbana) through personal spiritual effort, rather than a divine or supramundane figure. Deification was characteristic of the rival Mahasanghika school.
- Statement 3 is correct: Key branches that evolved out of the broader Sthaviravada group include the Vibhajjavada (basis of Theravada), Sammitiya, and Vatsiputriya schools.
