Q. With reference to the philosophical schools of Buddhism, consider the following statements:
1.The Vaibhasika school asserts that the external world is real and can be directly perceived.
2.The Sautrantika school upholds the view that perception is representational and not a direct awareness of external reality.
3.Both schools deny the existence of non-mental (physical) reality and consider only mental phenomena to be valid.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: A
Notes:
Explanation:
- The Vaibhasika school is realist, affirming that external entities exist independently and can be directly perceived (bahya-pratyeka-vada).
- The Sautrantika school holds that external objects are inferred, not directly perceived. Perception is representational, not immediate.
- Both schools accept the existence of both mental and non-mental (physical) realities; they do not limit reality to mental phenomena.
Source: NCERT and Ancient India – NCERT (R.S.Sharma)
