Selina Textbook Solutions: Mahavira and Buddha – Great Preachers | History Class 6 ICSE PDF Download

 Page 1


Exercise 
I. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The sixth century BC saw the rise of two new religions in India. 
2. The founders of both the new religions in India were Kshatriyas. 
3. Jainism was founded by Mahavira. 
4. The Jains believe Mahavira was the 24th and the last Tirthankara. 
5. At the age of 42, Mahavira conquered both misery and happiness and 
became Jina or the conqueror. 
6. Buddhism was founded by Gautam Buddha. 
7. His real name was Siddhartha. 
8. The tree under which Buddha attained Enlightenment is called Bodhi Tree. 
II. Match Column A with Column B 
 
Page 2


Exercise 
I. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The sixth century BC saw the rise of two new religions in India. 
2. The founders of both the new religions in India were Kshatriyas. 
3. Jainism was founded by Mahavira. 
4. The Jains believe Mahavira was the 24th and the last Tirthankara. 
5. At the age of 42, Mahavira conquered both misery and happiness and 
became Jina or the conqueror. 
6. Buddhism was founded by Gautam Buddha. 
7. His real name was Siddhartha. 
8. The tree under which Buddha attained Enlightenment is called Bodhi Tree. 
II. Match Column A with Column B 
 
Answer: 
 
 
III. State whether the following statements are True or False. 
1. By the 6th century BC the Vedic religion had become too complicated and 
common people could not understand it. 
 True 
2. Mahavira was born at Pavapuri near Rajgir in Bihar. 
False 
3. The attainment of ‘Moksha’ should be the main goal of life according to Mahavira. 
True 
4. Jainism’s strict insistence on non-violence and penance made it popular in India. 
False 
5. Buddha’s teachings are included in the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold 
Path. 
True 
6. Jatakas are stories about Buddha’s previous births. 
True. 
7. ‘Mahayana’ form of Buddhism started worshiping Buddha as a god. 
True 
Answer the following questions: 
Question 1. 
Page 3


Exercise 
I. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The sixth century BC saw the rise of two new religions in India. 
2. The founders of both the new religions in India were Kshatriyas. 
3. Jainism was founded by Mahavira. 
4. The Jains believe Mahavira was the 24th and the last Tirthankara. 
5. At the age of 42, Mahavira conquered both misery and happiness and 
became Jina or the conqueror. 
6. Buddhism was founded by Gautam Buddha. 
7. His real name was Siddhartha. 
8. The tree under which Buddha attained Enlightenment is called Bodhi Tree. 
II. Match Column A with Column B 
 
Answer: 
 
 
III. State whether the following statements are True or False. 
1. By the 6th century BC the Vedic religion had become too complicated and 
common people could not understand it. 
 True 
2. Mahavira was born at Pavapuri near Rajgir in Bihar. 
False 
3. The attainment of ‘Moksha’ should be the main goal of life according to Mahavira. 
True 
4. Jainism’s strict insistence on non-violence and penance made it popular in India. 
False 
5. Buddha’s teachings are included in the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold 
Path. 
True 
6. Jatakas are stories about Buddha’s previous births. 
True. 
7. ‘Mahayana’ form of Buddhism started worshiping Buddha as a god. 
True 
Answer the following questions: 
Question 1. 
Why did new religions rise in India in the 6th century BC? 
Answer: 
By the 6th century BC the Vedic religion had become very complicated. There was a 
great deal of emphasis on rituals, yajnas and sacrifice. The Brahmanas had become 
very powerful and all the rituals had become too costly for the common man. Animal 
sacrifices affected the economy because it was based upon agriculture and animal 
husbandry. The language used for all rituals was Sanskrit and the common man could 
not understand it. The use of coins facilitated trade and commerce which added to the 
importance of the Vaishyas. They were ranked third in the society, the first two being 
Brahmanas and Kshatriyas. Naturally, they looked for a religion which would improve 
their position. Hence, new religions — Buddhism and Jainism — rose in India in the 6th 
century BC. 
Question 2. 
What are the five vows a Jain householder had to take? 
Answer: 
Five vows of Jainism are as follow: 
1. Ahimsa—non-violence 
2. Satya—Truth 
3. Achaurya orAsteya—Non-stealing 
4. Brahmacharya—Celibacy 
5. Aparigraha—Non-possession 
Question 3. 
Why did Buddha renounce the world? 
Answer: 
One day Prince Siddhartha, while on a chariot ride through the city, saw three sights — 
of an old man, a sick man and a dead body being carried by mourners. This disturbed 
and distressed him. Then he saw an ascetic who was serene and calm. No sorrow or 
worldly miseries affected him. These are the Four Great Sights that changed his life and 
he renounced the world. 
Question 4. 
Explain the main difference between Jainism and Buddhism. 
Answer: 
Compared to Jainism, Buddhism was moderate in its stress on the doctrine of non-
violence. Buddhism emphasised on following the middle path whereas Jainism laid 
stress on extreme austerity. While the Buddha was silent about the existence of God, 
Mahavira denied his existence. 
Question 5. 
Why did Buddhism spread so rapidly? 
Answer: 
Buddhism spread rapidly because its teachings were very simple and it was taught in 
Page 4


Exercise 
I. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The sixth century BC saw the rise of two new religions in India. 
2. The founders of both the new religions in India were Kshatriyas. 
3. Jainism was founded by Mahavira. 
4. The Jains believe Mahavira was the 24th and the last Tirthankara. 
5. At the age of 42, Mahavira conquered both misery and happiness and 
became Jina or the conqueror. 
6. Buddhism was founded by Gautam Buddha. 
7. His real name was Siddhartha. 
8. The tree under which Buddha attained Enlightenment is called Bodhi Tree. 
II. Match Column A with Column B 
 
Answer: 
 
 
III. State whether the following statements are True or False. 
1. By the 6th century BC the Vedic religion had become too complicated and 
common people could not understand it. 
 True 
2. Mahavira was born at Pavapuri near Rajgir in Bihar. 
False 
3. The attainment of ‘Moksha’ should be the main goal of life according to Mahavira. 
True 
4. Jainism’s strict insistence on non-violence and penance made it popular in India. 
False 
5. Buddha’s teachings are included in the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold 
Path. 
True 
6. Jatakas are stories about Buddha’s previous births. 
True. 
7. ‘Mahayana’ form of Buddhism started worshiping Buddha as a god. 
True 
Answer the following questions: 
Question 1. 
Why did new religions rise in India in the 6th century BC? 
Answer: 
By the 6th century BC the Vedic religion had become very complicated. There was a 
great deal of emphasis on rituals, yajnas and sacrifice. The Brahmanas had become 
very powerful and all the rituals had become too costly for the common man. Animal 
sacrifices affected the economy because it was based upon agriculture and animal 
husbandry. The language used for all rituals was Sanskrit and the common man could 
not understand it. The use of coins facilitated trade and commerce which added to the 
importance of the Vaishyas. They were ranked third in the society, the first two being 
Brahmanas and Kshatriyas. Naturally, they looked for a religion which would improve 
their position. Hence, new religions — Buddhism and Jainism — rose in India in the 6th 
century BC. 
Question 2. 
What are the five vows a Jain householder had to take? 
Answer: 
Five vows of Jainism are as follow: 
1. Ahimsa—non-violence 
2. Satya—Truth 
3. Achaurya orAsteya—Non-stealing 
4. Brahmacharya—Celibacy 
5. Aparigraha—Non-possession 
Question 3. 
Why did Buddha renounce the world? 
Answer: 
One day Prince Siddhartha, while on a chariot ride through the city, saw three sights — 
of an old man, a sick man and a dead body being carried by mourners. This disturbed 
and distressed him. Then he saw an ascetic who was serene and calm. No sorrow or 
worldly miseries affected him. These are the Four Great Sights that changed his life and 
he renounced the world. 
Question 4. 
Explain the main difference between Jainism and Buddhism. 
Answer: 
Compared to Jainism, Buddhism was moderate in its stress on the doctrine of non-
violence. Buddhism emphasised on following the middle path whereas Jainism laid 
stress on extreme austerity. While the Buddha was silent about the existence of God, 
Mahavira denied his existence. 
Question 5. 
Why did Buddhism spread so rapidly? 
Answer: 
Buddhism spread rapidly because its teachings were very simple and it was taught in 
the language of the people. The patronage of two great emperors — Ashoka and 
Kanishka — made it a world religion. Its opposition to the caste system made it popular 
among the castes that were considered low. 
Question 6. 
What were the reasons behind the decline of Buddhism and Jainism? 
Answer: 
Buddhism became a victim to the evils of Brahmanism against which it had fought 
initially. The Buddhist monks were gradually cut off from the mainstream of the people’s 
life. They gave up Pali, the language of people and took to Sanskrit, the language of 
intellectuals. They also started practicing idol worship on a large scale and received 
material offerings from devotees. The rich offerings and generous royal grants made the 
life of monks luxurious. By the 7th century AD the Buddhist monasteries became 
centers of corrupt practices which Buddha had strictly prohibited. Undue emphasis on 
non-violence in Jainism checked its spread among the farming community as their 
profession necessarily involved killing insects and pests. Moreover, Mahavira’s ideas 
were not acceptable to those artisans and craftsmen whose occupation endangered the 
life of other creatures. Strict Jaina limitation of private property was interpreted as a ban 
on possession of landed property. All these factors led to the gradual decline of Jainism. 
Question 7. 
Name the religious texts of Buddhism and Jainism. 
Answer: 
Religious texts of Buddhism — Vinay Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka 
Religious texts of Jainism — Angas and Purvas 
Question 8. 
Why is Buddhism called the Middle Path? 
Answer: 
Buddhism is called Middle Path because Buddha did not believe in extremes. Buddhism 
emphasised on following the middle 
V.  Picture study This is a picture of a temple. 
 
Page 5


Exercise 
I. Fill in the blanks: 
1. The sixth century BC saw the rise of two new religions in India. 
2. The founders of both the new religions in India were Kshatriyas. 
3. Jainism was founded by Mahavira. 
4. The Jains believe Mahavira was the 24th and the last Tirthankara. 
5. At the age of 42, Mahavira conquered both misery and happiness and 
became Jina or the conqueror. 
6. Buddhism was founded by Gautam Buddha. 
7. His real name was Siddhartha. 
8. The tree under which Buddha attained Enlightenment is called Bodhi Tree. 
II. Match Column A with Column B 
 
Answer: 
 
 
III. State whether the following statements are True or False. 
1. By the 6th century BC the Vedic religion had become too complicated and 
common people could not understand it. 
 True 
2. Mahavira was born at Pavapuri near Rajgir in Bihar. 
False 
3. The attainment of ‘Moksha’ should be the main goal of life according to Mahavira. 
True 
4. Jainism’s strict insistence on non-violence and penance made it popular in India. 
False 
5. Buddha’s teachings are included in the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold 
Path. 
True 
6. Jatakas are stories about Buddha’s previous births. 
True. 
7. ‘Mahayana’ form of Buddhism started worshiping Buddha as a god. 
True 
Answer the following questions: 
Question 1. 
Why did new religions rise in India in the 6th century BC? 
Answer: 
By the 6th century BC the Vedic religion had become very complicated. There was a 
great deal of emphasis on rituals, yajnas and sacrifice. The Brahmanas had become 
very powerful and all the rituals had become too costly for the common man. Animal 
sacrifices affected the economy because it was based upon agriculture and animal 
husbandry. The language used for all rituals was Sanskrit and the common man could 
not understand it. The use of coins facilitated trade and commerce which added to the 
importance of the Vaishyas. They were ranked third in the society, the first two being 
Brahmanas and Kshatriyas. Naturally, they looked for a religion which would improve 
their position. Hence, new religions — Buddhism and Jainism — rose in India in the 6th 
century BC. 
Question 2. 
What are the five vows a Jain householder had to take? 
Answer: 
Five vows of Jainism are as follow: 
1. Ahimsa—non-violence 
2. Satya—Truth 
3. Achaurya orAsteya—Non-stealing 
4. Brahmacharya—Celibacy 
5. Aparigraha—Non-possession 
Question 3. 
Why did Buddha renounce the world? 
Answer: 
One day Prince Siddhartha, while on a chariot ride through the city, saw three sights — 
of an old man, a sick man and a dead body being carried by mourners. This disturbed 
and distressed him. Then he saw an ascetic who was serene and calm. No sorrow or 
worldly miseries affected him. These are the Four Great Sights that changed his life and 
he renounced the world. 
Question 4. 
Explain the main difference between Jainism and Buddhism. 
Answer: 
Compared to Jainism, Buddhism was moderate in its stress on the doctrine of non-
violence. Buddhism emphasised on following the middle path whereas Jainism laid 
stress on extreme austerity. While the Buddha was silent about the existence of God, 
Mahavira denied his existence. 
Question 5. 
Why did Buddhism spread so rapidly? 
Answer: 
Buddhism spread rapidly because its teachings were very simple and it was taught in 
the language of the people. The patronage of two great emperors — Ashoka and 
Kanishka — made it a world religion. Its opposition to the caste system made it popular 
among the castes that were considered low. 
Question 6. 
What were the reasons behind the decline of Buddhism and Jainism? 
Answer: 
Buddhism became a victim to the evils of Brahmanism against which it had fought 
initially. The Buddhist monks were gradually cut off from the mainstream of the people’s 
life. They gave up Pali, the language of people and took to Sanskrit, the language of 
intellectuals. They also started practicing idol worship on a large scale and received 
material offerings from devotees. The rich offerings and generous royal grants made the 
life of monks luxurious. By the 7th century AD the Buddhist monasteries became 
centers of corrupt practices which Buddha had strictly prohibited. Undue emphasis on 
non-violence in Jainism checked its spread among the farming community as their 
profession necessarily involved killing insects and pests. Moreover, Mahavira’s ideas 
were not acceptable to those artisans and craftsmen whose occupation endangered the 
life of other creatures. Strict Jaina limitation of private property was interpreted as a ban 
on possession of landed property. All these factors led to the gradual decline of Jainism. 
Question 7. 
Name the religious texts of Buddhism and Jainism. 
Answer: 
Religious texts of Buddhism — Vinay Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka 
Religious texts of Jainism — Angas and Purvas 
Question 8. 
Why is Buddhism called the Middle Path? 
Answer: 
Buddhism is called Middle Path because Buddha did not believe in extremes. Buddhism 
emphasised on following the middle 
V.  Picture study This is a picture of a temple. 
 
1. Identify and name it. 
Ans. Dilwara Jain Temple 
2. Where is it situated? 
Ans. Mount Abu (Rajasthan) 
3. Who built it? 
Ans. Vastupala 
4. Write a paragraph about it. 
Ans. The five legendary marble temples of Dilwara are a sacred pilgrimage place 
of the Jains. Many scholars consider them to be one of the most beautiful Jain 
pilgrimage sites in the world. 
Textbook Keywords 
1. Tirthankaras: They were the religious teachers of Jainism who preached before 
Mahavira. 
2. Jina: It means conquerer of the self. 
3. Karma: It means that people’s actions decide their destiny. Moksha It means 
freedom from the cycle of birth and death. 
4. Digambara Sect of Jainism: The word means sky clad. They did not wear any 
clothes and followed the original teachings of Mahavira. 
5. Svetambaras: They were Jain monks who wore white clothes and did not believe 
in hard penance. 
6. Purvas and Angas: They are the religious literature of the Jains. 
7. Ashtangika marga:  It means the eight fold path. 
8. Ahimsa: means non-violence. Both Jainism and Buddhism preached this 
principle. 
9. Nirvana: It means freedom from the cycle of birth and death. 
10. Sangha was the order of the Buddhist monks. 
11. Tripitakas and Jatakas Are Buddhist religious texts. 
Additional Questions 
A. Fill in the blanks. 
1.  1. Many evil customs crept into Hindu society. 
2. The shudras were denied the right to study religious texts. 
3. In the 6th century BCE two great religious reformers, Vardhamana 
Mahavira and Gautam a Buddhawere bom. 
4. Two famous followers of Jainism were Bimbisara and Mahayana. 
5. The religious literature of the Buddhists is contained in 
the Tripitakas and Jatakas. 
6. Buddhism was divided into two sects, Hinayana and Mahayana 
7. Jainism was divided into two sects, Digambaras and Svetambaras. 
B. Match the following.