ADDA247 North East

100 PYQs
on
ANCIENT HISTORY
PART 2
 MCQs
1. Dilwara temples at Mount Abu in Rajasthan were built by the
followers of which of the following religions?
(a) Buddhist
(b) Jain
(c) Hindu
(d) Sikh

Answer: (b) Jain

 MCQs
2. Who was the first Tirthankara of the Jains?
(a) Arishtanemi
(b) Parshvanath
(c) Ajitnath
(d) Rishabhanatha

Answer: Option (d) Rishabhanatha

Rishabhanatha, (Sanskrit: “Lord Bull”) the first of
the 24 Tirthankaras (“Ford-Makers,” i.e., saviours)
of Jainism, a religion of India.
 MCQs
3. Who was the mother of Mahavira?
(a) Yashoda
(b) Anoja
(c) Chetak
(d) Trishala

Answer: (d) Trishala

Trishala, also known as Videhadatta, Priyakarini, or
Trishala Mata (Mother Trishala), was the mother of
Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, and wife of
the Jain monarch, Siddhartha of Kundagrama, of
present-day Bihar
 MCQs
4. Which one of the following is not the "Triratna" of Jainism?
(a) right faith
(b) right knowledge
(c) right vision
(d) right conduct

Answer: Option (c) right vision

In Jainism the three jewels (also referred to as ratnatraya) are
understood as samyagdarshana (“right faith”), samyagjnana
(“right knowledge”), and samyakcharitra (“right conduct”).
 MCQs
5. "Tripitaka"—religious text
(a) Jains
(b) Buddhists
(c) Sikhs
(d) Hindus

Answer: (b) Buddhists

'Tripitaka' texts are considered as the holy book of Buddhism.
The Three Pitakas are: (1) Vinaya Pitaka- conduct of the
order (2) Sutta Pitaka- largest book on Buddha's sermons (3)
Abhidhamma Pitaka- on metaphysics.
 MCQs
6. Where did Lord Buddha give up his life?
(a) Rajgir
(b) Bodh Gaya
(c) Sarnath
(d) Kushinagar

Answer: (d) Kushinagar

 MCQs
7. Ajanta painting inspired by which of the following
(a) Kind Buddha
(b) Radhakrishna Leela
(c) Jain Tirthankara
(d) Mahabharata war.
Answer: Option (a) Kind Buddha
The Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, India
are 30 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd
century BCE to the 600 CE. The caves include paintings and
sculptures considered to be masterpieces of Buddhist religious
art (which depict the Jataka tales) as well as frescos which are
reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka. The Ajanta
cave paintings depict the life of Gautam Buddha.
 MCQs
8. According to Buddhist belief, who is considered the next incarnation of
Gautam Buddha?
(a) Atreya
(b) Maitreya
(c) Nagarjuna
(d) Kalki

Answer: Option (b) Maitreya

According to Buddhist tradition, Maitreya is a bodhisattva who
will appear on Earth in the future, achieve complete
enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma. According to
scriptures, Maitreya will be a successor to the present Buddha,
Gautama Buddha (also known as Sakyamuni Buddha)
1. Administrative reforms
2. Revenue reforms or Permanent Settlement
3. Judicial and other reforms

MCQs
9. The Buddha attained Nirvana at _________.
A.Bodh Gaya
B.Sarnath
C.Sanchi
D.Kushinagar

Answer: Option A.Bodh Gaya

Lord Buddha attained Nirvana at the age of 35 when he was
alive at Bodh Gaya. He is known to have attained Parinirvana
after his death at Kushinagar.
 MCQs
10. Nalanda University was a great center of learning, especially
(a) Buddhism
(b) Jainism
(c) Vaishnavism
(d) in the system

Answer: Option (a) Buddhism

Nalanda was a Mahavihara, a large Buddhist monastery, in the
ancient kingdom of Magadha (modern-day Bihar) in India. The
site is located about 95 kilometres (59 mi) southeast of Patna
near the city of Bihar Sharif, and was a centre of learning from
the fifth century CE to c. 1200 CE. It is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site
 MCQs
11. Who propounded the 'Eight-Fold Path' for the end of misery of mankind?
a) Mahavir
b) Gautam Buddha
c) Adi Shankaracharya
d) Kabir

Answer: (b) Gautam Buddha

The idea of the Eightfold Path appears in what is regarded as the first sermon
of the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha,
which he delivered after his enlightenment. There he sets forth a middle way,
the Eightfold Path, between the extremes of asceticism and sensual
indulgence.
These are,
1. Right View 2. Right Resolve 3. Right Speech 4. Right Conduct
5. Right Livelihood 6. Right effort 7. Right Mindfulness 8. Right Samadhi
This eight-fold path leads to 'Nirvana'.
 MCQs
12. To which dynasty did Buddha belonged?
(a) Gnarthika
(b) Maurya
(c) Shakya
(d) Kuru

Answer: Option (c) Shakya

 MCQs
13. In Buddhism the 'Bull' is associated with which event in the life of Buddha?
(a) birth
(b) Great departure
(c) Enlightenment
(d) First Sermon

Answer: Option (a) birth

The five great events in Buddha’s life are represented by
symbols as under: (a) Birth by Lotus and Bull, (b) Great
Renunciation by Horse, (c) Nirvana by Bodhi Tree, (d) First
Sermon by Dharmachakra or Wheel and (e) Parinirvana or
death by the stupa.
 MCQs
14. Ashoka adopted Buddhism after being influenced by which
Buddhist monk?
(a) Vishnu Gupta
(b) Upagupta
(c) Brahma Gupta
(d) Brihadratha
Answer: Option (b) Upagupta
Upagupta (c. 3rd Century BC) was a Buddhist monk. According
to some stories in the Sanskrit text Ashokavadana, he was the
spiritual teacher of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Upagupta's
teacher was Sanavasi who was a disciple of Ananda, the
Buddha's attendant
 MCQs
15 In which language are Buddha's teachings?
(a) Hindi
(b) Urdu
(c) Pali
(d) Hebrew

Answer: Option (c) Pali

 MCQs
16 The birthplace of Gautam Buddha was
(a) Kushinagar
(b) Sarnath
(c) Bodh Gaya
(d) Lumbini

Answer: Option (d) Lumbini

 MCQs
17 Buddha delivered his first sermon at_____________.
A. Sanchi
B. Sarnath
C. Kapilvastu
D. Vaishali

Answer: Option B. Sarnath

 MCQs
18 Alexander (Alexander) and Porus fought.
(a) Jhelum
(b) Ravi
(c) Panipat
(d) Tarain

Answer: Option (a) Jhelum

The Battle of the Hydaspes was fought between Alexander the
Great and King Porus in 326 BC. It took place on the banks of
the Jhelum River (known to the ancient Greeks as Hydaspes) in
the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent (modern-day
Punjab, Pakistan).
 MCQs
19 Who was the teacher of Alexander the Great?
(a) Darius
(b) Cyrus
(c) Socrates
(d) Aristotle

Answer: Option (d) Aristotle

 MCQs
20 After the death of Alexander, the eastern part of his empire went under
whose control?
(a) Seleucus Nicator
(b) Menander
(c) Rudradaman
(d) Kanishk

Answer: Option (a) Seleucus Nicator

After the death of Alexander in June 323 BC, Seleucus initially
supported Perdiccas, the regent of Alexander's empire, and was
appointed Commander of the Companions and chiliarch at the
Partition of Babylon in 323 BC. Seleucus ruled not only Babylonia,
but the entire enormous eastern part of Alexander's empire.
 MCQs
21. The Jain literature is known as
a) Tripitakas
b) Epics
c) Aryasutras
d) Angas

Answer: Option (d) Angas

 MCQs
22 Which religion preaches “Desire is the cause of all suffering”?
(a) Buddhism
(b) Jainism
(c) Sikhism
(d) Hinduism

Answer: Option (a) Buddhism

 MCQs
23 Which of the following rulers was a contemporary of Buddha?
(a) Udayan
(b) Bimbisara
(c) Ajatashatru
(d) Mahapadma Nanda

Answer: Option (b) Bimbisara

 MCQs
24. Where was the first Buddhist Council held?
(a) Vaishali
(b) Kashmir
(c) Rajgriha
(d) Pataliputra

Answer: Option (c) Rajgriha

According to the scriptures of all Buddhist schools, the first
Buddhist Council was held soon after the death of the Buddha,
dated by the majority of recent scholars around 400 BCE, under
the patronage of the king Ajatashatru with the monk
Mahakasyapa presiding, at Sattapanni caves Rajgriha (now
Rajgir).
 MCQs
25. What is Milindapanho?
(a) Buddhist sites
(b) a Buddhist name
(c) Buddhist art
(d) Buddhist texts

Answer: Option (d) Buddhist texts

 MCQs
26. Who was the first disciple of Mahavira?
(a) Bhadrabahu
(b) Sthulabhadra
(c) Charvak
(d) Jamali

Answer: Option (d) Jamali

Jamali who was also the son-in-law of Mahavira was the first
disciple of Mahavira.
 MCQs
27. Which one of the following is not a sect of Buddhism
(a) Mahayana
(b) Hinayana
(c) Digambar
(d) Theravada

Answer: Option (c) Digambar

Digambara “sky-clad” is one of the two main sects of Jainism, the
other being Svetambara.
 MCQs
28. Who is the founder of Jainism in India?
(a) Gautam
(b) Mahavir
(c) Chandragupta
(d) Ashoka

Answer: Option (b) Mahavir

 MCQs
29. Taxila was the capital of which of the sixteen Mahajanapadas?
(a) Kosala
(b) Kuru
(c) Vajji
(d) Gandhara

Answer: Option (d) Gandhara

 MCQs
30. Buddhism was divided into Mahayana and Hinayana during the reign of
which ruler?
(a) Kanishka
(b) Chandragupta II
(c) Ashoka
(d) none of these

Answer: Option (a) Kanishka

 MCQs
31. Which of the following is the oldest dynasty?
(a) Maurya
(b) Gupta
(c) Kushan
(d) Kanva

Answer: Option (a) Maurya

 MCQs
32. Where did Ashoka convene the Third Buddhist Council?
(a) Pataliputra
(b) Magadha
(c) Kalinga
(d) Sarnath

Answer: Option ((a) Pataliputra

 MCQs
33. Which event brought about a major change in the administrative policy of
Ashoka?
(a) Third Buddhist Council
(b) Kalinga War
(c) His adoption of Buddhism
(d) sending his missionary to Ceylon

Answer: Option (b) Kalinga War

 MCQs
34. The Greek ambassador sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya
was
(a) Kautilya
(b) Seleucus Nicator
(c) Megasthenes
(d) Justin
Answer: Option (c) Megasthenes
Seleucus dispatched an ambassador, Megasthenes, to
Chandragupta, and later Antiochos sent Deimakos to his son
Bindusara, at the Maurya court at Pataliputra (modern Patna in
Bihar state).
 MCQs
35. Which of the following is not one of the animals carved on the
Sarnath Pillar?
a) Humped Bull
b) Deer
c) Elephant
d) Horse
Answer: Option (b) Deer
 MCQs
36. Seleucus Nicator was defeated by
a) Ashoka
b) Chandragupta Maurya
c) Bindu Sara
d) Brihadratha

Answer: Option Chandragupta Maurya

 MCQs
37. Who wrote the Arthashastra?
(a) Dhanananda
(b) Kautilya
(c) Bimbisara
(d) Pushyamitra

Answer: Option (b) Kautilya

 MCQs
38. Which of the following foreign travelers visited India first?
(a) Hiuen Tsang
(b) Megasthenes
(c) I-tsing
(d) Fahien

Answer: Option (b) Megasthenes

Megasthenes<Fa-hien<Hiuen-Tsang<I-tsing
 MCQs
39. Taxila University was situated between which two rivers?
(a) Indus and Jhelum
(b) Jhelum and Ravi
(c) Vyas and Indus
(d) Sutlej and Indus

Answer: Option ((a) Indus and Jhelum

 MCQs
40. Who drove the Greeks out of India?
(a) Chandragupta Maurya
(b) Chandragupta Vikramaditya
(c) Ashoka
(d) Bindusara

Answer: Option (a) Chandragupta Maurya

 MCQs
41. Chanakya, the famous guru of Chandragupta Maurya, was related to which
of the following learning centers?
(a) Taxila
(b) Nalanda
(c) Vikramshila
(d) Vaishali

Answer: Option (a) Taxila

 MCQs
42. Who was the famous ruler of ancient India who adopted Jainism in the last
days of his life?
(a) Samudragupta
(b) Bindusara
(c) Chandragupta
(d) Ashoka

Answer: Option (c) Chandragupta

 MCQs
43. n which year did the Kalinga war take place?
(a)261 BC
(b) 263 BC
(c)232 BC
(d) 240 BC

Answer: Option (a)261 BC

 MCQs
44. Which king has been referred to as Devanampiya Piyadassi (beloved of the
gods) in the inscriptions?
(a) Ashoka
(b) Harsh
(c) Bindusara
(d) Chandragupta Maurya

Answer: Option ((a) Ashoka

 MCQs
45. With whom is the Junagadh inscription related?
(a)Rudradaman
(b) Bimbisara
(c) Chandragupta II
(d) Gautamiputra Shatkarni

Answer: Option (a)Rudradaman

 MCQs
46. Who were the first kings to issue gold coins in India?
a) Mauryas
b) Indo-Greeks
c) Guptas
d) Kushans

Answer: Option (b) Indo-Greeks

 MCQs
47. What is the name of the art style that combines the features of Indian and
Greek art?
(a) Sikhara
(b) Verna
(c)Nagara
(d)Gandhara art

Answer: Option (d)Gandhara art

Gandhara art, style of Buddhist visual art that developed in what
is now northwestern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan between the
1st century BCE and the 7th century CE.
 MCQs
48. Who among the following ruled Magadha after the Maurya dynasty?
(a) Haryak dynasty
(b) Shishunag dynasty
(c) Shunga Dynasty
(d) Nanda dynasty

Answer: Option ((c) Shunga Dynasty

 MCQs
49 Who started the great 'Silk Road' for Indians?
(a) Kanishka
(b) Ashoka
(c) Harsh
(d) Fahien

Answer: Option ((a) Kanishka

The great silk-route to the Indians was opened by Kaniskha. Silk
Route was established during the reign of Han Dynasty of China. It
connects China with East Europe Mediterranean countries and
Central Asia, passing through India.
 MCQs
50. Who was the founder of Shaka era starting from AD 78?
(a) Kanishka
(b) Ashoka
(c) Chandragupta
(d) Vikramaditya

Answer: Option (a) Kanishka

 MCQs
51 Who among the following got the Mahabodhi Temple built at Bodh
Gaya in Bihar for the first time?
(a) Chandragupta Maurya
(b) Ashoka
(c) Kanishk
(d) Harsh Vardhan
Answer: Option (b) Ashoka
 MCQs
52 'Charak' was a famous doctor in whose court?
(a) Harsh
(b) Chandragupta Maurya
(c) Ashoka
(d) Kanishka

Answer: Option (d) Kanishka

 MCQs
53. The National Calendar of India is based on which period?
(a) Vikram period
(b) Kali Kaal
(c) Saka period
(d) none of the above

Answer: Option (c) Saka period

 MCQs
54 Who among the following got the Sanchi Stupa built?
(a) Ashoka
(b) Gautam Buddha
(c) Chola
(d) Pallava

Answer: Option (a) Ashoka

 MCQs
55. Who among the following explained the meaning of Ashoka's
edicts for the first time and when?
(a) 1787-John Tower
(b) 1825-Charles Metcalf
(c) 1837-James Princep
(d) 1810-Harry Smith
Answer: Option ((c) 1837-James Princep
 MCQs
58. Where did Gautam Buddha take Mahaparinirvana?
(a) Patna
(b) Kushinagar
(c) Varanasi
(d) Sarnath

Answer: Option (b) Kushinagar

Y554