Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Consider the following statements: 1. According to Mahavamsa, Ashoka turned to the Buddha's dhamma when his nephew Nigrodha preached the doctrine to him. 2. Divyavadana ascribes Ashoka being drawn to the Buddha's teaching to the influence of Ashokavandana Samudra, a merchant-turned monk 3. Dipavamsa speaks of Samudra, the 12 year old son of a merchant, as the key figure in, Ashoka's coming under the influence of the Buddhist Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: C
Concept
Ashoka's transition to Buddhism is a central theme in Buddhist historiography, with different regional traditions emphasizing different catalytic figures.Explanation
Statement 1: The Sri Lankan chronicle *Mahavamsa* highlights the role of the novice monk Nigrodha.
Statement 2: The North Indian Sanskrit text *Divyavadana* (specifically the *Ashokavadana* section) tells the story of the monk Samudra, who converted Ashoka after surviving the 'Hell' prison.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Statements 1 and 2 are correct according to their respective canonical sources.
Logic 2: Statement 3 is incorrect. The story of Samudra (as a 12-year-old or merchant's son) is found in the Ashokavadana, not the *Dipavamsa* (which is another Sri Lankan chronicle).