Buddhism/ Jainism

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Buddhism/ Jainism SSC-CGL CRACKER FOR GENERAL STUDIES 3. Religious Movements: Buddhism/ Jainism 1. The meaning of ‘Buddha’ is: (c) Kapilavastu, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Kushinagar (a) anything beyond God (d) Kapilavastu, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar (b) soul after death 13. Gandhara school of art came into existence in: (c) the Enlightened one (a) Hinayana sect (b) Mahayana sect (d) the ultimate Path for moksha (c) Vaishnava sect (d) Shaiva sect 2. Match the following: 14. Match the following: A. Fourth Buddhist Council 1. Vasumitra (Events related to Buddha) (Places) B. Third Buddhist Council 2. Moggaliputa Tissa A. Birth of Buddha 1. Bodha Gaya C. Second Buddhist Council 3. Sabakami B. Enlightenment 2. Lumbini D. First Buddhist Council 4. Mahakassapa C. First Sermon 3. Kusinagar (or Kasia) Codes: D. Death of Buddha 4. Sarnath A B C D 5. Rajgriha (a) 1 2 3 4 Codes: (b) 2 1 4 3 A B C D (c) 1 2 4 3 (a) 2 1 3 4 (d) 3 2 4 1 (b) 1 3 4 5 3. Buddha has been described as ‘an ocean of wisdom and (c) 2 1 4 3 compassion’ in : (d) 4 2 5 3 (a) Jataka tales (b) Amarakosa 15. Relics of Buddha are preserved in a: (c) Buddhacharita (d) The Light of Asia (a) Vihara (b) Chaitya 4. Buddhism split up into the Hinayana and Mahayana sects at (c) Stupa (d) Monastery the Buddhist Council held during the reign of: 16. The famous Indo-Greek king who embraced Buddhism (a) Harsha (b) Kanishka was: (c) Ashoka (d) Chandragupta Maurya (a) Strato I (b) Menander 5. Jainism was divided into two sects known as: (c) Demetrtou (d) Alexander (a) Kapalika and Kalamukha 17. Which of the following rulers did not embrace Buddhism? (b) Mahayana and Hinayana (a) Ashoka (b) Harsha (c) Ajivika and Nyaya Vaisesika (c) Kanishka (d) Samudragupta (d) Svetambara and Digambara 18. Both Vardhaman Mahavira and Gautama Buddha preached 6. Ashoka was much influenced by a Buddhist monk called: their doctrines during the reign of: (a) Upagupta (b) Vasubandhu (a) Ajatashatru (b) Uday (c) Asvaghosha (d) Ambhi (c) Bimbisara (d) Harshavardhana 7. Who among the following rulers held a religious assembly at 19. The triratnas were stressed by: Prayag every five years? (a) Buddha (b) Mahavira (a) Ashoka (b) Kanishka (c) Manu (d) Gaudapada (c) Harshavardhana (d) Chandragupta Vikramaditya 20. Who was the first king to have the image of Lord Buddha 8. During the time of Harshavardhana, a great Buddhist inscribed on his coins? assembly was held at: (a) Ashoka (b) Kanishka (a) Patliputra (b) Nalanda (c) Dharmpala (d) Harshavardhana (c) Prayag (d) Purushapura 21. Jainism had the patronage of: 9. Who, according to Jains, was the founder of Jainism? (a) Pushyamitra Sunga (b) Kanishka (a) Rishabha (b) Mahavira (c) Samudragupta (d) Kharavela (c) Arishtanemi (d) Parsavanatha 22. The last of the 24th Jain Tirthankaras was: 10. With which religion is Kaivalya associated? (a) Parsvanath (b) Mahavira (a) Buddhism (b) Jainism (c) Rishabha (d) Arishtanemi (c) Hinduism (d) Sikhism 23. The first Buddhist Council was held in the reign of: 11. The phrase ‘The Light of Asia’ is applied to : (a) Bimbisara (b) Ajatashatru (a) Alexander (b) Chandragupta Maurya (c) Ashoka (d) Kanishka (c) Mahavira (d) Buddha 24. The first discourse of Buddha at Deer Park in Samath is 12. Mark the correct sequence of places with regard to Buddha: called: (a) Sarnath, Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, Kapilavastu (a) Mahabhiniskraman (b) Mahaparinirvana (b) Bodh Gaya, Kapilavastu, Sarnath, Kushinagar (c) Mahamastabhisheka (d) Dharmachakrapravartan SSC-CGL CRACKER FOR GENERAL STUDIES 25. Which of the following was not a part of the Tripitakas (c) Tripitakas (d) Jatakas (three baskets)? (a) Jatakas (b) Vinaya (c) Sutta (d) Abhidhamma 26. Identify the wrong statement: (a) Original Buddhist religious texts were compiled in Pali ANSWER KEY (b) Sthaviravada is an orthdox school of Jainism Chaper - 3 (c) Jain saint mentioned in the Rigveda is Rishabhanath (d) Jainism patronised Ardha-magadhi 1 c 17 d 27. Which one of the following is not included in the ‘eight- 2 a 18 c fold path’ of Buddhism? (a) Right speech (b) Right contemplation 3 b 19 b (c) Right desire (d) Right conduct 4 b 20 b 28. Who wrote the Kalpasutra? (a) Bhadrabahu (b) Sthulabhadra 5 d 21 d (c) Gopala (d) Gosala 6 a 22 b 29. Milindapanho explains the disputed points of Buddhism in the form of a dialogue between the Indo-Greek king Menander 7 c 23 b (Milinda) and the Buddhist priest. 8 c 24 d (a) Asvaghosa (b) Nagasena (c) Buddhaghosa (d) Nagarjuna 9 a 25 a 30. In which of the following languages were the original 10 b 26 b Buddhist religious texts written? 11 d 27 c (a) Brahmi (b) Sanskrit (c) Magadhi (d) Pali 12 d 28 a 31. Idol worship in India can be traced to the period of : 13 b 29 b (a) Pre-Aryan (b) Vedas (c) Mauryans (d) Kushans 14 c 30 d 32. The original teachings of Mahavira are contained in which 15 c 31 a of the following texts? (a) 12 Angas (b) 14 Puruas 16 b 32 b .
Recommended publications
  • Gist of Ncert
    Click Here For Integrated Guidance Programme http://upscportal.com/civilservices/online-course/integrated-free-guidance-programme GIST OF N.C.E.R.T TERRITORIAL STATES AND THE FIRST MAGADHAN EMPIRE The Mahajanapadas lay at Kushinara where Gautama Buddha passed away. Kushinara is identical with Kasia in Deoria In the age of the Buddha we find 16 large states district. called Mahajanapadas, They were mostly situated north of the Vindhyas and extended from the north- Further west lay the kingdom of the Vatsas, along west frontier to Bihar. Of these Magadha, Koshala, the bank of the Yamuna, with its capital at Vatsa and Avanti seem to have been considerably Kaushambi near Allahabad. The Vatsas were a powerful. Beginning from the east we hear of the Kuru clan who had shifted from Hastinapur and kingdom of Anga which covered the modern settled down at Kaushambi. Kaushambi was districts of Monghyr and Bhagalpur. It had its chosen because of its location near, the confluence capital at Champa, Eventually the kingdom, of Anga of the Ganga and the Yamuna was swallowed by its powerful neighbour Magadha. We also hear of the older states of the Kurus and Magadha embraced the former districts of patna, the Panchalas which were situated in western Gaya and parts of Shahbad, and grew to be the Uttar Pradesh, but they no longer enjoyed the leading state of the time. North of the Ganga in political importance which they had attained in the division of Tirhut was the state of the Vajjis the later Veidc period. which included eight clans.
    [Show full text]
  • The Emergence of the Mahajanapadas
    The Emergence of the Mahajanapadas Sanjay Sharma Introduction In the post-Vedic period, the centre of activity shifted from the upper Ganga valley or madhyadesha to middle and lower Ganga valleys known in the contemporary Buddhist texts as majjhimadesha. Painted grey ware pottery gave way to a richer and shinier northern black polished ware which signified new trends in commercial activities and rising levels of prosperity. Imprtant features of the period between c. 600 and 321 BC include, inter-alia, rise of ‘heterodox belief systems’ resulting in an intellectual revolution, expansion of trade and commerce leading to the emergence of urban life mainly in the region of Ganga valley and evolution of vast territorial states called the mahajanapadas from the smaller ones of the later Vedic period which, as we have seen, were known as the janapadas. Increased surplus production resulted in the expansion of trading activities on one hand and an increase in the amount of taxes for the ruler on the other. The latter helped in the evolution of large territorial states and increased commercial activity facilitated the growth of cities and towns along with the evolution of money economy. The ruling and the priestly elites cornered most of the agricultural surplus produced by the vaishyas and the shudras (as labourers). The varna system became more consolidated and perpetual. It was in this background that the two great belief systems, Jainism and Buddhism, emerged. They posed serious challenge to the Brahmanical socio-religious philosophy. These belief systems had a primary aim to liberate the lower classes from the fetters of orthodox Brahmanism.
    [Show full text]
  • Bahiya Sutta About Bahiya
    Table of Contents Baalapandita Sutta-----------------------------------------------------------2 Bahiya Sutta----------------------------------------------------------------- 16 Bahiya Sutta----------------------------------------------------------------- 20 Bahudhaatukasuttam ----------------------------------------------------- 24 Bahuna Sutta ---------------------------------------------------------------- 30 Bahuvedaniiya Sutta ------------------------------------------------------ 31 Bakkula Sutta --------------------------------------------------------------- 37 Bakkulasuttam-------------------------------------------------------------- 41 Bala Pandita Sutta --------------------------------------------------------- 46 Bhaddekaratta Sutta ------------------------------------------------------ 48 Bhaddekarattasuttam ----------------------------------------------------- 54 Bhaya Bherava Sutta ------------------------------------------------------ 58 Bhayabherava Sutta ------------------------------------------------------- 66 Bhikkhu Aparihaniya Sutta --------------------------------------------- 75 Bhikkhuni Sutta ------------------------------------------------------------ 77 Bhojana Sutta --------------------------------------------------------------- 81 Bhumija Sutta --------------------------------------------------------------- 82 Bhutamidam Sutta--------------------------------------------------------- 91 Bhuumija Sutta ------------------------------------------------------------- 95 Brahmajala Sutta ----------------------------------------------------------103
    [Show full text]
  • Magadha-Empire
    Rise & Growth of Magadha Empire [Ancient Indian History Notes for UPSC] The Magadha Empire encompasses the rule of three dynasties over time - Haryanka Dynasty, Shishunaga Dynasty, and Nanda Dynasty. The timeline of the Magadha Empire is estimated to be from 684 BCE to 320 BCE. Read about the topic, 'Rise and Growth of the Magadha Empire,' in this article; which is important for the IAS Exam (Prelims - Ancient History and Mains - GS I & Optional). Rise of Magadha Notes for UPSC Exam The four Mahajanapadas - Magadha, Kosala, Avanti and Vatsa were vying for supremacy from the 6th century BCE to the 4th century BCE. Finally, Magadha emerged victorious and was able to gain sovereignty. It became the most powerful state in ancient India. Magadha is situated in modern Bihar. Jarasandha, who was a descendant of Brihadratha, founded the empire in Magadha. Both are talked about in the Mahabharata. Read about the 16 Mahajanapadas in the linked article. Magadha Empire - Haryanka Dynasty The first important and powerful dynasty in Magadha was the Haryanka dynasty. Bimbisara (558 BC – 491 BC) • Son of Bhattiya. • According to Buddhist chronicles, Bimbisara ruled for 52 years (544 BCE - 492 BCE). • Contemporary and follower of the Buddha. Was also said to be an admirer of Mahavira, who was also his contemporary. • Had his capital at Girivraja/Rajagriha (Rajgir). o It was surrounded by 5 hills, the openings of which were closed by stone walls on all sides. This made Rajagriha impregnable. • Also known as Sreniya. • Was the first king to have a standing army. Magadha came into prominence under his leadership.
    [Show full text]
  • Detailed Representatives
    History Explore – Journal of Research for UG and PG Students ISSN 2278 – 0297 (Print) ISSN 2278 – 6414 (Online) © Patna Women's College, Patna, India http://www.patnawomenscollege.in/journal Monuments of Bihar : A Syncretic Culture Kajal Kiran • Anuradha • Swati Kiran • Sister Matilda Pereira A.C. Received : December 2010 Accepted : February 2011 Corresponding Author : Sister Matilda Pereira A.C. Abstract : Bihar is a land affluent in natural beauty, Lord Buddha- founder of the Buddhism. The ruins of Nalanda whispering forests, sparkling lakes, majestic forts and and Vikramshila bear the testimony of our being on the palaces, holy shrines and natural hot springs emerging from zenith of culture and civilization some 2500 years ago. This a backdrop of eternal snow.It is a magnetic destination is the land on which Lord Buddha and Mahavira started their attracting tourists who throng every year. With tremendous religious orders.Monuments in Bihar can be further potential for growth in numbers and quality, Bihar is one of classified on the basis of religions- Hinduism, Buddhism, the eastern states in the Indian union endowed with Jainism, Sikhism, Islam and Christianity representing the immense tourism potential. The presence of numerous syncretic culture of Bihar. ancient monuments represents the rich culture and heritage Key words:- Heritage, Magnetic destination, Archeology, of the state.Bihar, as of today after bifurcation, is still studded Tourist etc. with monuments of its past glory- monuments that bear the memory of Jain Mahavira- 24th Trithankar of Jainism and Introduction: Kajal Kiran B.A. III year, History (Hons.), Session: 2008-2011, Bihar is a land affluent in natural beauty, Patna Women’s College, Patna University, Patna, whispering forests, sparkling lakes, majestic forts Bihar, India and palaces, holy shrines and natural hot springs Anuradha emerging from a backdrop of eternal snow.It is a B.A.
    [Show full text]
  • 6Nbt- Gautam Buddha by Leela George.Pdf
    ISBN 81-237-1081-X First Edition 1982 Sixth Reprint 2006 (Saka 1928) <0 Leela George, 1982 Published by the Director, National Book Trust, India , Nehru Ba/ Pustakalaya ATIO AL BOOK TRU T. I Dl A -. Prince Siddhartha More than two thousand five hundred years ago, there lived in India, in the shadow of the Himalayas, a tribe / , ~ oj <..v ,... ( r.J _-'.. ~ . called the Sakyas. The chief ofthe tribe was Raja Shuddho­ dhana and his queen's name was Mahamaya. Their capital was the beautiful city Kapilavastu. One night-Mahamaya had a strange dream. She dreamt that four kings carried her up to a lovely lake on a silver mountain, where she was bathed , dressed in fine clothes and bedecked with flowers. Then, they took her to a celestial palace and laid her upon a golden bed. A white elephant with a lotus in its trunk approached and after going round her three times struck her side. Learned Brahmins interpreted the dream as a sign that Mahamaya would soon give birth to a great and noble son . And so it came to pass. When Mahamaya knew that she was to become a mother, following the custom, she left for her father's house. While she was still on her way, however, a son was born to her in a grove of Sal \ ' ,j L r/' trees at Lumbini. Mahamaya now turned back and returned to Kapila­ vastu. King Shuddhodhana received them enthusiastically and there was great rejoicing in the kingdom. Shortly afterwards mother and child were visited by the sage Asita.
    [Show full text]
  • Faculty Details Proforma for DU Web-Site
    Faculty Details proforma for DU Web-site First Karam Tej Sarao Title Professor Last Name Photograph Name Singh Designation Professor Address Room No. 317, Second Floor, Extension Building, Department of Buddhist Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Delhi, Delhi – 110007. Phone No Office 27666625 Mobile 9811262124 Email [email protected]; [email protected] www.ktssarao.com Web-Page http://people.du.ac.in/~ktssarao/ Educational Qualifications Degree Institution Year Preah Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University, D.Litt. (honoris causa) 2011 Phnom Penh, Cambodia Ph.D. University of Cambridge. 1988 Ph.D. University of Delhi. 1985 M.Phil. University of Delhi. 1981 PG: MA (History) University of Delhi 1979 UG: BA (Hons) History University of Delhi. 1977 Any Other Qualifications 1. PG Diploma: Pāli University of Delhi 1983 Language & Literature 2. Diploma: (Fortran 77) Cambridge University 1987 Career Profile April, 1996 - till date: Professor, Department of Buddhist Studies, University of Delhi. October 2010- April 2011: Chair, Buddhist and Sanskrit Studies, Preah Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. July, 2008 - Dec, 2009: Visiting Faculty, Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management, New Delhi and Gwalior, Government of India. 2nd Aug, 2009 - 31st Aug 2009: Visiting Professor, Maison des Sciences de L‟Homme, Paris, France. www.du.ac.in Page 1 1st Mar, 2008 -14th Mar, 2008: Visiting Fellow, Visvabharati, Santiniketan, India. 2005: Annual Visiting Professor, Dongguk University, Seoul, Korea. Oct, 2002 - July, 2005: Visiting Professor, Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies, Fagu Shan University, Taiwan. Apr, 2001 – June, 2001: Visiting Professor, Maison des Sciences de L‟Homme, Paris, France. Aug, 1999 – Jan, 2000: Visiting Fellow, St Edmunds College, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
    [Show full text]
  • Prince Ajatasattu Free
    FREE PRINCE AJATASATTU PDF Osamu Tezuka,Maya Rosewood | 418 pages | 08 May 2007 | Vertical Inc. | 9781932234626 | English | New York, United States Ajatashatru - Wikipedia Tezuka himself was a humanist rather than a Buddhist, and his magnum opus is not an attempt at propaganda. This edit will also create new pages on Comic Vine for:. Until you earn points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Comic Vine users. This process takes Prince Ajatasattu more than a few hours and we'll send you an Prince Ajatasattu once approved. Tweet Clean. Cancel Update. What size image should we insert? This will not affect the original upload Small Medium How do you want the image positioned around text? Float Left Float Right. Cancel Insert. Go to Link Unlink Change. Cancel Create Link. Disable this feature for this session. Rows: Prince Ajatasattu. Enter the URL for the tweet you want to embed. Creators Osamu Tezuka artist, cover, writer. Teams Daevas Giants. Locations India. Story Arcs. This edit will also create new pages on Prince Ajatasattu Vine for: Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Make sure this Prince Ajatasattu what you intended. This will likely increase the time it takes for your changes to go live. Comment and Save Until you earn points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Comic Vine users. Use your keyboard! Buddha, Volume 7: Prince Ajatasattu by Osamu Tezuka: | : Books Devadatta is noted for attempting to kill the Sakyamuni Prince Ajatasattu on several occasions including:. According to Prince Ajatasattu Pitakaafter trying to kill Sakyamuni Buddha a number of times, Devadatta set up his own Buddhist monastic order by splitting the sangha.
    [Show full text]
  • The History of Buddhism
    The History of Buddhism The Life of Shakyamuni uddhism arose from the teachings The Buddhist scriptures recount that one of a man called Shakyamuni, who is day Shakyamuni exited the palace through the also known as Siddhartha Gautama eastern gate and saw an old person; then, at the Band referred to throughout the world by his south gate, he saw a sick person. At the west honorific title, the Buddha. Shakya is the gate, he observed a funeral procession. These name of the clan to which his family belonged; encounters affected him greatly, causing him Shakyamuni means “sage of the Shakyas.” to ponder deeply the impermanence of life. According to Buddhist scriptures, Shakya- When he arrived at the north gate, he came muni was born near the ancient city of Kapila- upon a religious seeker and was immediately vastu in Lumbini Gardens in southern Nepal. inspired to find the answers to humanity’s His father was Shuddhodana, the king of the fundamental sufferings: birth, aging, sickness Shakyas. His mother, Maya, died soon after and death. This series of encounters is called Shakyamuni’s birth and his maternal aunt the “four meetings.” Mahaprajapati raised him. At age nineteen, or by some accounts Several theories regarding his birth age twenty-nine, Shakyamuni renounced his suggest that he was born in 463, 566 or 624 privileged existence and embarked on a search BCE. During Nichiren Daishonin’s lifetime for life’s truth, devoting himself to spiritual in thirteenth-century Japan, it was generally seeking. accepted that Shakyamuni lived much earlier, from 1029 BCE to 949 BCE, based on accounts in the Chinese text Record of Wonders in the The Awakening Book of Chou.1 uring Shakyamuni’s time, many religious schools flourished in India.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mauryan Empire)
    1 vi hist & civ Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) (for 3rd Term) CLASS: VI SUBJECT: HISTORY & CIVICS ============================================================================================= Chapter – 8 (Rise of Magadha) Question 1) In an early Buddhiest text, we find a list of _______ great mahajanpadas (a) 16 (b) 17 (c) 18 Question 2) The king collected taxes from the people to maintain the army as well as to build roads, canals etc. (a) True (b) False Question 3) Most of the Mahajanpadas were ruled by hereditary rulers, some were republics ruled by an assembly elected by the ________ (a) people (b) governor (c) minister Question 4) ________ mahajanpadas become very powerful. (a) 4 (b) 5 (c) 6 Question 5) Vajji was a ________ comprising smaller kingdoms such as Lichchavi and Videha. (a) republic (b) mahajan (c) democratic Question 6) ________ was the capital of Lichchhavi. (a) Vaishali (b) Kashi (c) Vatsa Question 7) Avanti corresponds to present day Malwa region. (a) True (b) False Question 8) The ________ was divided into two halves by the vindhya mountains. (a) Mahajanpadas (b) Janapadas (c) none of them Question 9) Ujjayani was the capital of northern half and ________ was the capital of the Southern halves. (a) Mahishmati (b) Nalanda (c) None of them Question 10) The earliest rulers of Avanti were the Haihayas. (a) True (b) False Question 11) Haihayas were succeeded by _________ (a) Pradyota (b) Kashi (c) Avanti Question 12) King chandaprodyota was a contemporary of _________. (a) Mahavir (b) Gautam Buddha (c) none of them Question 13) Avanti became a part of Magadha during the reign of Shishunaga.
    [Show full text]
  • Indian HISTORY
    Indian HISTORY AncientIndia PRE-HISTORICPERIOD G The Mesolithic people lived on hunting, fishing and food-gathering. At a later G The recent reported artefacts from stage, they also domesticated animals. Bori in Maharashtra suggest the appearance of human beings in India G The people of the Palaeolithic and around 1.4 million years ago. The early Mesolithic ages practised painting. man in India used tools of stone, G Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh, is a roughly dressed by crude clipping. striking site of pre-historic painting. G This period is therefore, known as the Stone Age, which has been divided into The Neolithic Age The Palaeolithic or Old Stone Age (4000-1000 BC) The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age G The people of this age used tools and The Neolithic or New Stone Age implements of polished stone. They particularly used stone axes. The Palaeolithic Age G It is interesting that in Burzahom, (500000-9000 BC) domestic dogs were buried with their masters in their graves. G Palaeolithic men were hunters and food G First use of hand made pottery and gatherers. potter wheel appears during the G They had no knowledge of agriculture, Neolithic age. Neolithic men lived in fire or pottery; they used tools of caves and decorated their walls with unpolished, rough stones and lived in hunting and dancing scenes. cave rock shelters. G They are also called Quartzite men. The Chalcolithic Age G Homo Sapiens first appeared in the (4500-3500 BC) last phase of this period. The metal implements made by them G This age is divided into three phases were mostly the imitations of the stone according to the nature of the stone forms.
    [Show full text]
  • Class Notes Class: 6Th Topic: Kingdoms, Kings and an Early Republic
    Class Notes Class: 6th Topic: Kingdoms, Kings and an Early Republic Subject: SOCIAL SCIENCE BRAINSTORM Case study: Magadha and Vajji Magadha From the sixth century BCE onwards, India's history was marked by struggles among the mahajanapadas. Eventually the kingdom of Magadha emerged as the most powerful. The name Magadha first appears in the Atharva Veda and later in the Yajur Veda. It came to prominence during the reign of Bimbisara who belonged to the Haryana dynasty. He expanded his kingdom by direct conquests and matrimonial alliances. Bimbisara was succeeded by his son Ajatashatru who also followed a policy of expansion. The rise of Magadha is also attributed to able rulers Bimbisara, Ajatashatru and Mahapadmananda. The earliest capital of Magadha was at Rajgir Later, in the fifth century BCE, the capital was shifted to Pataliputra. It was located on the confluence of Ganges, Gandak and Son. During these pre-industrial days armies could move north, west, south and east by following the courses of the rivers. This also means the people of Magadha had access to fertile agricultural lands. There was also an abundance of timber. People lived in wooden houses. Magadha was located in a geographically suitable position. It was situated near to the iron deposits. The ready availability of iron helped the Magadhan princes to equip themselves with weapons. Magadha enjoyed a special position in military organisation. It was the first state to use elephants in wars. Vajji Magadha was all along ruled by a dynasty. Not far from it was another mahajanapada called Vajji with its capital at Vaishali.
    [Show full text]