UPSC Prelims 2016 Question:

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:

1. The concept of Bodhisattva is central to the Hinayana sect of Buddhism. 
2. Bodhisattva is a compassionate one on his way to enlightenment. 
3. Bodhisattva delays achieving his own salvation to help all sentient beings on their path to it.
   
   

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation: “Bodhisattva” is a key idea in Buddhism. 

• The concept of Bodhisattva is central to the Mahayana sect of Buddhism.  In Mahayana belief, there are certain highly evolved bodhisattvas who have been practicing Buddhism for so many lifetimes that they have become superhuman divine beings. So, statement 1 is not correct.
  
  
• The word is constructed from the Sanskrit root bodhi, meaning “awakening” or “enlightenment”, and sattva, meaning “being”. Hence, Bodhisattva is a compassionate one on his way to enlightenment. So, statement 2 is correct.
  
  
• A Bodhisattva may delay achieving his own salvation to help all sentient beings on their path to it. The path followed by the Gautama is thus the Mahayana - ‘the great vehicle’ or vehicle of the Bodhisattva (bodhisattva-yana). So, statement 3 is correct.
  
  

Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer.

Subject: History | Buddhism and Jainism