Given below are two statements : one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A) : The Mahavastu gives a Hagiography (Sacred Biography) of the Buddha and describes the emergence of the monastic order in mixed Sanskrit - Prakrit.
Reason (R): The trend towards the use of Sanskrit intensified in Mahayana schools.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (b). Both statements are true. The Mahavastu is a major work of the Lokottaravada school written in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit. While Mahayana later popularized Sanskrit, the Mahavastu belongs to an earlier transitional phase.
Information Booster

• Mahavastu means 'The Great Event'.
• It is considered part of the Vinaya Pitaka by the Mahasanghika school.
• It contains many Jataka stories (tales of Buddha's previous lives).
• Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit is a unique linguistic blend of Sanskrit and Middle Indo-Aryan (Prakrit).
• The transition to Sanskrit allowed Buddhism to interact more deeply with elite Brahmanical circles.

Additional Knowledge

• Pali: The primary language of the Theravada Buddhist canon.
• Lalitavistara: Another important Sanskrit biography of the Buddha, popular in Mahayana.
• Hagiography: Writing of the lives of saints or religious leaders, often emphasizing divine aspects.