Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) with answers on “The Influence of Buddhism in Ancient Assam”
1. Which ancient kingdom in Assam is known for being influenced by Buddhism?
- a) Kamrupa
- b) Ahom
- c) Pragjyotisha
- d) Koch
Answer: a) Kamrupa
2. Which ruler of ancient Assam is believed to have been influenced by Buddhism?
- a) Bhaskaravarman
- b) Rudra Singha
- c) Sukapha
- d) Naranarayan
Answer: a) Bhaskaravarman
3. What was the major contribution of Bhaskaravarman to Buddhism in Assam?
- a) He promoted Buddhist monasticism.
- b) He invited Chinese Buddhist scholar Xuanzang to Assam.
- c) He converted the entire kingdom to Buddhism.
- d) He built a large Buddhist stupa.
Answer: b) He invited Chinese Buddhist scholar Xuanzang to Assam.
4. Which Chinese Buddhist traveler visited Assam during Bhaskaravarman’s reign?
- a) Xuanzang
- b) Fa-Hien
- c) I-Tsing
- d) Bodhidharma
Answer: a) Xuanzang
5. In which century did Xuanzang visit Assam?
- a) 3rd century
- b) 7th century
- c) 10th century
- d) 12th century
Answer: b) 7th century
6. What was the name of the Buddhist center that existed in ancient Assam?
- a) Nalanda
- b) Pushpagiri
- c) Pragjyotishpur
- d) Vikrampur
Answer: d) Vikrampur
7. Which region of Assam is closely associated with ancient Buddhist remains and influences?
- a) Dhubri
- b) Hajo
- c) Tezpur
- d) Sivasagar
Answer: b) Hajo
8. The sacred place Hajo in Assam is associated with which Buddhist relic?
- a) Buddha’s footprint
- b) Buddha’s tooth
- c) Buddha’s robe
- d) Buddha’s staff
Answer: a) Buddha’s footprint
9. The temple in Hajo that is believed to enshrine the footprint of Buddha is called:
- a) Kamakhya Temple
- b) Hayagriva Madhava Temple
- c) Umananda Temple
- d) Da Parbatia
Answer: b) Hayagriva Madhava Temple
10. Which Buddhist sect has historically influenced Assam the most?
- a) Theravada
- b) Mahayana
- c) Vajrayana
- d) Zen
Answer: c) Vajrayana
11. The kingdom of Pragjyotisha in ancient Assam was contemporaneous with which Indian empire that supported Buddhism?
- a) Gupta Empire
- b) Maurya Empire
- c) Chola Empire
- d) Vijayanagara Empire
Answer: b) Maurya Empire
12. Which early Buddhist text mentions ancient Assam (Kamrupa)?
- a) Jataka Tales
- b) Mahavamsa
- c) Dipavamsa
- d) Vinaya Pitaka
Answer: a) Jataka Tales
13. Which river in Assam is mentioned in Buddhist texts as a significant part of the region’s geography?
- a) Ganga
- b) Yamuna
- c) Brahmaputra
- d) Narmada
Answer: c) Brahmaputra
14. Vajrayana Buddhism, which influenced Assam, is closely linked with which Himalayan region?
- a) Bhutan
- b) Nepal
- c) Tibet
- d) Sikkim
Answer: c) Tibet
15. What is the primary characteristic of Vajrayana Buddhism that spread to Assam?
- a) Emphasis on monastic life
- b) Use of rituals and mystical practices
- c) Focus on the Pali Canon
- d) Non-violence and vegetarianism
Answer: b) Use of rituals and mystical practices
16. Which of the following archaeological sites in Assam reveals evidence of Buddhist influences?
- a) Madan Kamdev
- b) Surya Pahar
- c) Kareng Ghar
- d) Rang Ghar
Answer: b) Surya Pahar
17. Surya Pahar in Assam is known for:
- a) A large collection of Buddhist stupas
- b) The birthplace of the Buddha
- c) Monastic caves used by early Buddhists
- d) Remains of a Buddhist university
Answer: a) A large collection of Buddhist stupas
18. Which of the following is a feature of Buddhist art and architecture found in ancient Assam?
- a) Stone carvings of the Buddha
- b) Mughal-style minarets
- c) Hindu temple deities
- d) Dravidian temple architecture
Answer: a) Stone carvings of the Buddha
19. Which religious tradition besides Buddhism also flourished in Assam and sometimes merged with Buddhist practices?
- a) Shaivism
- b) Vaishnavism
- c) Shaktism
- d) Jainism
Answer: c) Shaktism
20. What was the significance of the Hayagriva Madhava Temple in the context of Buddhism in Assam?
- a) It served as a pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhists.
- b) It was the first Buddhist temple in Assam.
- c) It housed the relics of Emperor Ashoka.
- d) It was a major monastic center for Theravada Buddhism.
Answer: a) It served as a pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhists.
21. Which Mauryan emperor is believed to have spread Buddhism to the northeastern regions, including Assam?
- a) Chandragupta Maurya
- b) Ashoka
- c) Bindusara
- d) Brihadratha
Answer: b) Ashoka
22. Which Buddhist deity is often depicted in the art and sculptures found in ancient Assam?
- a) Avalokiteshvara
- b) Tara
- c) Manjushri
- d) Maitreya
Answer: a) Avalokiteshvara
23. During which period did Buddhism start to decline in Assam?
- a) 6th century CE
- b) 10th century CE
- c) 12th century CE
- d) 16th century CE
Answer: c) 12th century CE
24. What was a major factor contributing to the decline of Buddhism in Assam?
- a) The rise of Vaishnavism
- b) Invasions from Tibet
- c) The collapse of the Maurya Empire
- d) Lack of royal patronage
Answer: a) The rise of Vaishnavism
25. In which ancient text is Kamrupa mentioned as a center of Tantric Buddhism?
- a) Lalitavistara
- b) Kālacakra Tantra
- c) Jataka Tales
- d) Abhidharma
Answer: b) Kālacakra Tantra
26. The decline of Buddhism in Assam during the medieval period led to the rise of which religious movement?
- a) Shaivism
- b) Vaishnavism
- c) Sikhism
- d) Jainism
Answer: b) Vaishnavism
27. Which Assamese saint and religious reformer was known for his influence on the rise of Vaishnavism, which contributed to the decline of Buddhism?
- a) Bhaskaravarman
- b) Shankaradeva
- c) Lachit Borphukan
- d) Gopinath Bordoloi
Answer: b) Shankaradeva
28. Buddhist relics from ancient Assam have been found in which modern-day state in India?
- a) Arunachal Pradesh
- b) Manipur
- c) Meghalaya
- d) West Bengal
Answer: a) Arunachal Pradesh
29. The influence of which region’s Buddhism significantly impacted the development of Vajrayana practices in Assam?
- a) Sri Lanka
- b) China
- c) Tibet
- d) Japan
Answer: c) Tibet
30. Which ancient Assamese text provides accounts of Buddhist influences and activities in the region?
- a) Katha Gurucharit
- b) Yogini Tantra
- c) Kalika Purana
- d) Hastividyarnava
Answer: b) Yogini Tantra
These MCQs explore the historical, cultural, and religious aspects of Buddhism in ancient Assam, highlighting its interactions with other traditions and its eventual decline in the region.
