Previous Year Question
Which of the following kingdoms were associated with the life of the Buddha?
Avanti
Gandhara
Kosala
Magadha
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
Both Kosala and Magadha were directly associated with the life of Gautama Buddha. Early Pali Buddhist texts clearly connect the Buddha with King Pasenadi of Kosala and King Bimbisara of Magadha. The Digha Nikaya even mentions both rulers together as kings who placed their trust in the ascetic Gotama.
Kosala — Correct. Sravasti was a major capital of Kosala, and the Buddha spent a considerable part of his teaching career there. Jetavana, the monastery of Anathapindika, was located at Sravasti. Early Buddhist texts repeatedly depict King Pasenadi in direct conversation with the Buddha; in one discourse, the king personally approaches the Buddha's dwelling to meet him.
The Buddha was born among the Shakyas, whose territory was associated with the wider political sphere of Kosala in northern India. Thus, Kosala was connected not only with his teaching career but also with the broader political setting of his life. UGC-INFLIBNET likewise identifies Pasenadi as a contemporary of the Buddha and places Kosala within the political world of the Buddha's time.
Magadha — Correct. Bodh Gaya, where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment, lay in ancient Magadha. Rajagriha was an important centre of the Buddha's activities, while King Bimbisara, and later Ajatashatru, had close associations with the Buddhist tradition. UGC-INFLIBNET identifies Gaya as the place of the Buddha's enlightenment and Rajagriha as one of his favourite places of residence.
Early Pali literature independently confirms this relationship. One discourse refers together to “King Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha” and “King Pasenadi of Kosala” as contemporary rulers in the Buddha's world. Thus, the direct association of Kosala and Magadha with the Buddha's life is supported by early Buddhist textual evidence.
Kosala — directly associated with the Buddha's life
Magadha — directly associated with the Buddha's life
Avanti — contemporary kingdom, but not directly associated in the sense of this question
Gandhara — important mainly in later Buddhist history