Given below are two statements : one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A) : Buddhism was well established by the third century B.C. and continued to flourish throughout the Satavahana period.
Reason (R): The first two centuries of the Christiana era constitute the most glorious epoch of Buddhism in the Deccan.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a). The Satavahana period (approx. 1st century BCE to 2nd century CE) saw immense support for Buddhism. The prosperity of the era led to the creation of magnificent Buddhist monuments, explaining its continued flourishing.
Information Booster

• Major Buddhist sites like Amaravati, Karle, and Kanheri flourished under the Satavahanas.
• The Satavahana rulers themselves were often followers of Brahmanism but patronized Buddhist monasteries.
• The Chaitya at Karle is the largest rock-cut chaitya in India.
• The Great Stupa at Amaravati was significantly enlarged during this period.
• The Deccan became a major hub for Buddhist trade and pilgrimage routes.

• Satavahanas: Also known as the Andhras; their capital was at Pratishthana (Paithan).
• Chaitya: A Buddhist prayer hall or shrine.
• Vihara: A residential monastery for Buddhist monks.