MCQ
Q.
Which is the first temple that was built by Emperor Ashoka?
Correct Answer: A
The correct answer is Mahabodhi Temple.
Key Points
- The Mahabodhi Temple was built by the Mauryan emperor Great Ashoka in around 260 BCE.
- Mahabodhi Temple - Gaya, is the holiest site for all Buddhists all over the world.
- It is the world heritage site, where Lord Buddha is said to attain his enlightenment.
- Literally, the meaning of Mahabodhi is the Great Awakening Temple.
Important Points
- Buddhism is one of the top five religions in the world, in terms of the number of followers.
- One of the first people we can thank for this was the ancient emperor Asoka.
- Asoka was a third-century BCE ruler of the Maurya Empire, one of the first states to unify nearly the entire Indian subcontinent.
- He was also the first Indian emperor to convert to Buddhism and put massive efforts into spreading the religion across India.
- There are four major temples associated with the various stages of Buddha's life.
- The Mahabodhi Temple marks one of the most significant.
- it was in this place that the Mahatma Buddha sat under a and meditated, ultimately achieving enlightenment and becoming the Buddha.
- Emperor Ashoka constructed the Vajrasana or the Diamond Throne, representing the seat of enlightenment.
- He also built a stupa in reverence of Gautama Buddha, which was there till the second century AD.
- During the reign of the Gupta kings in the seventh century AD, the Mahavira Mahabodhi temple was completed.
- The Pala kings of Bengal built the gold-painted statue of Buddha, which is made of Black stone.
- Here Gautama Buddha is seen seated in the Earth-touching posture or the Bhumisparsa Mudra.
