Previous Year Question
Some Buddhist rock-cut caves are called Chaityas, while the others are called Viharas. What is the difference between the two?
A.
Vihara is a place of worship, while Chaitya is the dwelling place of the monks
B.
Chaitya is a place of worship, while Vihara is the dwelling place of the monks
C.
Chaitya is the stupa at the far end of the cave, while Vihara is the hall axial to it
D.
There is no material difference between the two
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
A Chaitya or Chaityagriha was a place of collective Buddhist worship and prayer.
A Chaityagriha generally had an apsidal end containing a stupa, with a passage around it for circumambulation.
A Vihara was a Buddhist monastery or dwelling place for monks. It generally consisted of a central congregational hall surrounded by residential cells.
Option (c) is incorrect because a Chaitya refers to the entire worship hall, not merely the stupa. A Vihara was also not an axial hall attached to a Chaitya.