Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Why did Buddhism start declining in India in the early medieval times? 1. Buddha was by that time considered as one of the incarnations of Vishnu and thus became a part of Vaishnavism. 2. The invading tribes from Central Asia till the time of the last Gupta king adopted Hinduism and persecuted Buddhists. 3. The Kings of Gupta dynasty were strongly opposed to Buddhism. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: A
Concept
The decline of Buddhism in India was a multi-century process involving institutional decay, loss of royal patronage, and assimilation into reformed Brahmanism.Explanation
Historical texts (like the Puranas) eventually listed Buddha as the 9th avatar of Vishnu. This 'absorption' strategy by Brahmanical scholars effectively bridged the gap between the two faiths, making Buddhism lose its unique selling point.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Statement 1 is correct. By incorporating Buddha into the Hindu pantheon, the theological boundaries blurred, and many lay Buddhists reverted to Hindu practices.
Logic 2: Statement 2 is incorrect. While some Huna invaders (like Mihirakula) persecuted Buddhists, many other invading tribes (like Kushans/Sakas) actually patronized Buddhism.
Logic 3: Statement 3 is incorrect. The Guptas were generally tolerant and even patronized Buddhist centers like Nalanda, though they themselves were 'Parama-Bhagavatas' (Vaishnavas).