Assertion (A) : The Madhyamikas were known as Madhyamikas on account of the emphasis they laid on madhyama-pratipat (the middle view).
Reason (R) : In his first sermon at Sarnath, the Buddha preached the Middle path, which is neither self-mortification nor a life devoted to the pleasure of the senses.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below :
Statement Analysis: Madhyamikas and Middle View
This question requires evaluating two statements, Assertion (A) and Reason (R), concerning Buddhist philosophy and determining their correctness and relationship.
Assertion (A) Evaluation: Madhyamikas and Middle View
Assertion (A) states that the Madhyamikas were named so due to their emphasis on madhyama-pratipat (the middle view). This is factually correct. The Madhyamaka school, a major Mahayana Buddhist tradition, founded by Nagarjuna, focuses on the concept of emptiness (shunyata) and presents its philosophy as a middle way between extremes like eternalism and nihilism, hence the name Madhyamaka (meaning 'middle way').
Reason (R) Evaluation: Buddha's Middle Path
Reason (R) states that the Buddha preached the Middle Path in his first sermon at Sarnath, defining it as avoiding self-mortification and sensual indulgence. This is also correct. The Buddha's first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, indeed lays the foundation for the Middle Path, which is central to the Noble Eightfold Path.
Connecting Statements: Explanation Validity
While both statements (A) and (R) are factually correct:
- Assertion (A) refers to the naming convention of the Madhyamika school based on its specific philosophical stance.
- Reason (R) refers to the Buddha's foundational teaching of the Middle Path.
Reason (R) establishes the origin of the 'Middle Path' concept in Buddhism. Assertion (A) explains the name of a specific philosophical school (Madhyamikas) derived from its adherence to a 'middle view' or 'middle way'. Although the Madhyamika school's 'middle view' is a development and interpretation of the Buddha's original 'Middle Path', Reason (R) does not directly explain *why* the Madhyamikas specifically got their name. The name comes from the Madhyamaka philosophy itself, which emphasizes emptiness and avoids extremes, a sophisticated interpretation of the general Middle Path principle mentioned in (R).
Therefore, both statements are correct, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
Similar Questions
- Who among the following rulers adopted the title 'Kunik' ?
- Who, among the following, is author of the book 'Ancient Indian Historical Tradition' ?
- Who among the following has excavated the site 'Arikamedu' ?
- Who among the following scholars first used the English word 'Hinduism' ?
- Pancharatra Sattra' is associated with which of the following religious sect ?
- Buddhist scholar Chandrakirti belongs to which of the following philosophical schools of Buddhism ?
- Who, among the following, is not included in the famous 'five peoples' (pancha-jana) of the Rig Vedic period ?
- The famous medical practitioner of ancient India, who had treated the Magadha emperor Bimbisara, was :
- The famous Pauranic Iksvaku lineage of ancient India was also known as :
- Who, among the following, has excavated the Neolithic site 'Senuar' ?
Important Questions from Mixed Topic (CUET PG)
- Who was the founder of Bolshevik Communist party?
- What is the key guide to statecraft in the realist tradition?
- Chronologically arrange the events in the Cold War period.
A. Berlin Wall is constructed
B. Communist China joins the UN
C. Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia
D. Berlin Blockade
Choose the correct answer from the options given below: Morgenthau's principles of political realism are:
A. Politics is rooted in permanent and unchanging human nature which is basically self centred, self-regarding and self-interested
B. Politics is an autonomous sphere of action and cannot therefore be reduced to morals
C. International Politics is an arena of conflicting self-interests
D. The ethics of international relations is situational ethics which is very different from private morality
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:Who among the following political thinkers consider the anarchical self help system to be a compelling factor for States to maximise their relative power positions?
