Why did Buddhism start declining in India in the early medieval times? 1. Buddha was by that time considered as one of the incarnations of Vishnu and thus became a part of Vaishnavism. 2. The invading tribes from Central Asia till the time of the last Gupta king adopted Hinduism and persecuted Buddhists. 3. The Kings of Gupta dynasty were strongly opposed to Buddhism. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
UPSC CSE Pre 2010
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 3
C. 2 and 3
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: 1 only
Option a is the correct answer.
Statement 1 is correct- Buddha was regarded as the ninth incarnation of Vishnu, thereby becoming integrated into the realm of Vaishnavism. The 13th Century Poet Jayadana defines the Buddha as an avatar of Vishnu to end animal slaughter in Vedic sacrifices. was a major factor in the decline of Buddhism in India. As Buddhism became more assimilated into Hinduism, it lost its distinctive identity and appeal.
Statement 2 is incorrect- Intruders hailing from the Middle East, including the Arabs and Persians, inflicted suffering upon Buddhists and contributed to the downfall of Buddhist establishments like Nalanda.
Statement 3 is incorrect- The Gupta dynasty didn't actively go against Buddhism, but Buddhism didn't get as much help from the royal family during the Gupta time as it did in the Mauryan and Kushan Empires that came before. When the Gupta Empire weakened, India started to become more divided into regions. This caused a decrease in support and gifts to Buddhist monasteries, and they gradually lost control over the money they got from land.