Assertion and Reasoning PYQ on Jainism – UPSC Prelims PYQ 2000

Assertion and Reasoning PYQ on Jainism

Assertion (A): The emphasis of Jainism on non-violence (ahimsa) prevented agriculturalists from embracing Jainism.

Reason (R): Cultivation involved killing of insects and pests.

Choose the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
2. Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A.
3. A is true, but R is false.
4. A is false, but R is true.

Jainism places supreme emphasis on ahimsa (non-violence), extending it to all living beings, including even the smallest forms of life. Agricultural activities such as ploughing, tilling, and irrigation inevitably lead to the destruction of insects, worms, and other organisms present in the soil. Consequently, strict adherence to Jain principles made agriculture a less acceptable occupation for devout followers, limiting the appeal of Jainism among agricultural communities. Instead, Jainism found considerable support among merchants, traders, and urban groups whose occupations involved comparatively less direct harm to living beings. Therefore, both the Assertion and the Reason are true, and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion.

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.