Parivrajak, Shramana and Upasaka — Cultural History UPSC Prelims PYQ 2020
With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following pairs:
| 1.Parivrajak | Renunciant and wanderer |
| 2.Shramana | Priest with a high status |
| 3.Upasaka | Lay follower of Buddhism |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
- 1 and 2 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1,2 and 3
Explanation
Pair 1 is correct, and pair 2 is incorrect
- Vedic literature and some texts like the Aranyakas and Upanishads were overly concerned with asceticism.
- Tapasvin, sramana, sanyasin, parivrajaka, yogi are some of the terms that we come across in the texts. They were all renouncers who, having given up on the pleasures of life, had taken to a life of austerity.
- They were given to controlling the functions of the body (breathing mainly) and wandering from place to place in search for the Ultimate Truth.
- Parivrajaka was a young man who had taken to the life of a wanderer for a short while before becoming a grihastha. But more often, parivrajaka was a state of permanent renunciation.
Pair 3 is correct
- According to the teachings of Buddha, an individual who takes refuge in the three gems – namely, the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha – is referred to as a lay devotee. An Upasaka, in particular, is a layman who not only embraces the three refuges but also upholds ethical precepts and sustains himself through honourable means of livelihood. In simple terms, it refers to any Buddhist who is not a member of a monastic order.
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Easy
