With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:
1. Sthaviravadins belong

Question

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:
1. Sthaviravadins belong to Mahayana Buddhism.
2. Lokottaravadin sect was an offshoot of Mahasanghika sect of Buddhism.
3. The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghikas fostered Mahayana Buddhism.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

The Sthaviravada tradition is considered an early Buddhist school, distinct from Mahayana. The Lokottaravada sect, a proponent of the Lokottaravada doctrine which stated that the Buddha's deeds were supramundane, emerged as a branch of the Mahasanghika school. The Mahasanghikas' emphasis on the transcendent nature of the Buddha and their developing ideas about his cosmic existence laid crucial groundwork for the later emergence and development of Mahayana Buddhism.