Chapter 5 - Religious Trends in Ancient India
1. Fill in the blanks.
(1) The principle of ______ is very important in Jainism.
Ans: non-violence
(2) An extraordinary feature of Gautama Buddha’s personality is his ______ for all living beings.
Ans: compassion
2. Answer in short.
(1) What were the teachings of Vardhaman Mahavir?
Ans:
(i) Vardhaman Mahavir preached Pancha Mahavratas consisting of Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Aparlgraha and Brahmacharya.
(ii) He emphasized the excellence of one’s character.
(iii) He preached love of all living beings and asked people to practice mercy and compassion.
(iv) He preached the idea of ‘Live and let live’.
(2) Which famous quote of Gautama Buddha have you read here? What values does it uphold?
Ans:
(i) Gautam Buddha had said “Even the little quail can chirp freely in her nest.”
(ii) Thereby he propounded the values of freedom and equality.
(3) What virtues are emphasized in Judaism?
Ans: Judaism emphasized the virtues of justice, truth, peace, love, compassion, humility, charity, ethical speech and self-respect.
(4) What are the teachings of Christianity?
Ans: Christianity preaches that;
(i) There is only one Almighty God and he is the loving father of all.
(ii) Jesus Christ is the son of God and he descended on the earth for the salvation of humanity.
(iii) We all are brothers and sisters and we should love even our enemies.
(iv) We should forgive those who err or go wrong.
(5) What are the teachings of Islam?
Ans:
(i) The teaching of Islam is surrender to Allah.
(ii) Allah is eternal, absolute, all powerful and merciful.
(iii) The purpose of human existence is the worship of Allah.
(iv) Quran Sharif provides guidance on how man should behave in life.
(6) What is at the core of Parsee thinking?
Ans:
(i) The elements of fire and water are very important.
(ii) At the core of this religion are the three main principles of good conduct, namely good thoughts, good words and good deeds.
3. Write notes on :
(1) Aryasatyas
Ans: Gautam Buddha provided answers to questions such as, “What is the nature of human life?” and “Why does man have to undergo suffering?” in the form of four noble truths, i.e. Aryasatyas.
(i) Dukkha (Suffering): Human life is full of suffering.
(ii) Trisha (Desire): The cause of suffering is desire or craving.
(iii) Dukkha-nivaran: It is possible to end suffering.
(iv) Pratipad: The way leading to the end of suffering.
(2) Panchasheel
Ans: Gautam Buddha preached the following five rules of conduct to be observed along with Ashtangik.
(i) Ahimsa (Non-violence) : No living being should be hurt.
(ii) Satya (Truth) : One should not tell lies.
(iii) Asteya : One should not steal.
(iv) Indriya Samyam : One should win control over bodily desires, and,
(v) One should not take intoxicants.
4. Put the following in the proper place in the chart of the Five Great Vows and the Three Jewels.
| Five Great Vows | Three Jewels |
|---|---|
(1) ................... | (1) ................... |
(2) ................... | (2) ................... |
(3) ................... | (3) ................... |
(4) ................... | |
(5) ................... |
Ans:
| Five Great Vows (Mahavratas) | Three Jewels (Tri-ratna) |
|---|---|
(1) Ahimsa | (1) Samyak Darshan |
(2) Satya | (2) Samyak Jnan |
(3) Asteya | (3) Samyak Charitra |
(4) Aparigraha | |
(5) Brahmacharya |
5. Give reasons :
(1) Why was the name ‘Jina’ given to Vardhaman Mahavir?
Ans:
(i) Jina is one who conquers all physical / bodily desires.
(ii) In pursuit of knowledge, Vardhaman Mahavir undertook rigorous tapa, suffered bodily pains without flinching, gave up all comforts and conquered all bodily desires.
(iii) Therefore, Vardhaman Mahavir came to be known as ‘Jina’.
(2) Why did Gautama Buddha came to be called the Buddha?
Ans:
(i) Prince Siddharth (Gautam) had left home, wife and son to find the answer for all human sufferings.
(ii) After rigorous tapa he acquired ‘Bodhi’ i.e. enlightenment or divine knowledge.
(iii) Therefore, Gautam (Siddharth) came to be known as Gautam Buddha.