Consider the following statements:
- 1. According to Mahavamsa, Ashoka turned to the Buddha’s dhamma when his nephew Nigrodha preached the doctrine to him.
- 2. Divyavadana ascribes Ashoka being drawn to the Buddha’s teaching to the influence of Samudra, a merchant-turned monk.
- 3. Dipavamsa speaks of Samudra, the 12-year-old son of a merchant, as the key figure in Ashoka’s coming under the influence of the Buddhist dhamma.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
1 only
2 only
1 and 2
1 and 3
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2019
Statement 2 is correct: The Divyavadana provides a different account, suggesting Ashoka was drawn to Buddhism through the influence of a merchant (sometimes named Samudra) who became a monk.
Statement 3 is incorrect: While the Dipavamsa is another Sri Lankan chronicle, like the Mahavamsa, it also focuses on the influence of Nigrodha on Ashoka’s initial inclination towards Buddhism, rather than primarily attributing it to Samudra as the key figure.