1997 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 1997 · General Studies

Question 77: History and Culture

Milindapanho is in the form of a dialogue between the King Menander and the Buddhist monk

aNagasena
bNagarjuna
cNagabhatta
dKumarilabhatta

AnswerThe answer is (a).

The Milindapanho (The Questions of King Milinda) is a Pali Buddhist text recording a dialogue between the Indo-Greek king Menander (Milinda) and the monk Nagasena, who answers the king's doubts about Buddhist teachings such as the soul and rebirth. Menander ruled in north-western India in the second century BCE. Nagarjuna was the Madhyamika philosopher of a later age.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Right: Nagasena.
  • (b) Nagarjuna was the Mahayana philosopher of the Madhyamika school, centuries later.
  • (c) Nagabhatta is the name of early medieval rulers, not a monk of Menander's time.
  • (d) Kumarilabhatta was a Mimamsa philosopher of around the seventh century CE.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1997, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.