Consider the following statements:

1. The Tripitaka is the traditional term for Buddhist monasteries.

2. The Jatakas are a voluminous body of literature concerning the previous births of Gautama Buddha.

3. The Second Buddhist Council was convened at Kundalvana, Kashmir and resulted in the first schism in the Sangha.

4. The Mauryan emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism after the Battle of Kalinga and helped in its spread.

Which of the statements above is/are correct?

Correct option is A

The Correct Answer is: (a)  2 and 4 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 –  Incorrect
  "Tripitaka" refers to the three baskets (Sutta, Vinaya, and Abhidhamma) of Buddhist scriptures, not monasteries. The term for monasteries is "Viharas".

• Statement 2 – Correct
  The Jataka tales are a vast collection of stories detailing the past lives of Gautama Buddha, in both human and animal form.

• Statement 3 – Incorrect
  The Second Buddhist Council was held at Vaishali, not Kundalvana (Kashmir). It did result in the first major schism in the Buddhist Sangha, dividing into Sthaviravadins and Mahasanghikas.

• Statement 4 –  Correct
  Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism after the Kalinga War (around 261 BCE) and became a major patron, promoting its spread across India and abroad.

Information Booster:
• Tripitaka = Buddhist canonical texts: Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, Abhidhamma Pitaka.
• Jatakas = Stories of Buddha's past lives, part of Sutta Pitaka.
• Second Council (Vaishali, ~383 BCE) led to the first schism in Buddhism.
• Ashoka spread Buddhism to Sri Lanka, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia through missionaries.
• The Third Buddhist Council was conducted under Ashoka’s patronage at Pataliputra.