Which statement correctly describes Shankaracharya's philosophy, known as Advaita?

Brahman, the only reality, is formless and without attributes, and the world we perceive is maya or illusion

Each individual soul is eternally distinct from Brahman and can never merge with it

The physical world is as real and eternal as Brahman itself

Devotion (bhakti) to a personal deity is the sole path to liberation, and knowledge (jnana) is of no value

Which of the following best explains why Buddhism found considerable support among merchants (setthis) and women in its early period?

Buddhism did not recognise existing social distinctions based on birth and offered membership of the sangha to men and women from many social backgrounds, which many found liberating

Buddhism allowed merchants exclusive rights to perform yajnas, while women were granted separate temples

Buddhism required its followers to pay a fixed tax to the sangha, which merchants found administratively convenient

The Buddha declared that only merchants and women could attain nirvana within a single lifetime

Chapter testHistoryIncluded in the seriesTest 7 of 37

CBSE Class 12 Humanities History · Ch 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings – Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE-600 CE)

CBSE Class 12 Humanities History · Ch 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings – Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE-600 CE) is an online chapter test in the CBSE Class 12 Humanities pattern, covering Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings – Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE-600 CE). Attempt it on SeatBeat with a timer like the real exam, then see a detailed solution for every question and your score and weak-topic analysis.

Questions

Minutes

Marks

None

Negative marking

Unlock all 37 tests — ₹199 Try English · Ch 1: The Last Lesson free →

Topics in this test

Topic	Subject	Questions
Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings – Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE-600 CE)	History	30

Difficulty: 7 medium · 23 hard

Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings – Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE-600 CE) MCQ questions with answers

The first 3 of 30 questions. Unlock the series for the rest, each with a solution.

Q1. Which statement correctly describes Shankaracharya's philosophy, known as Advaita?
निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सा कथन शंकराचार्य के दर्शन, जिसे अद्वैत के रूप में जाना जाता है, का सही वर्णन करता है?
- A. Each individual soul is eternally distinct from Brahman and can never merge with it / प्रत्येक जीवात्मा ब्रह्म से सदा भिन्न है और कभी उसमें विलीन नहीं हो सकती
- B. Brahman, the only reality, is formless and without attributes, and the world we perceive is maya or illusion / ब्रह्म, जो एकमात्र सत्य है, निराकार और निर्गुण है, और हमें दिखने वाला संसार माया अर्थात भ्रम है
- C. The physical world is as real and eternal as Brahman itself / भौतिक संसार स्वयं ब्रह्म की तरह ही वास्तविक और शाश्वत है
- D. Devotion (bhakti) to a personal deity is the sole path to liberation, and knowledge (jnana) is of no value / किसी व्यक्तिगत देवता के प्रति भक्ति ही मुक्ति का एकमात्र मार्ग है, और ज्ञान का कोई मूल्य नहीं है
Solution
Shankaracharya's Advaita, or non-dualism, held that Brahman, the formless Absolute, is the only reality, and the visible world we perceive is maya, or illusion.
शंकराचार्य के अद्वैत, अर्थात अद्वैतवाद, के अनुसार निराकार परम तत्व ब्रह्म ही एकमात्र सत्य है, और हमें दिखने वाला यह दृश्यमान संसार माया अर्थात भ्रम है।
Q2. In the architectural plan of a stupa, which element symbolised a balcony-like structure representing the abode of the gods, placed above the dome?
स्तूप की वास्तु संरचना में, कौन-सा अंग एक छज्जेनुमा संरचना का प्रतीक है, जो देवताओं के निवास स्थान का प्रतिनिधित्व करता है और गुंबद के ऊपर स्थित होता है?
- A. Harmika / हर्मिका
- B. Medhi / मेधी
- C. Vedika / वेदिका
- D. Pradakshina patha / प्रदक्षिणा पथ
Solution
The harmika is the balcony-like structure placed above the dome (anda) of a stupa, symbolically representing the abode of the gods.
हर्मिका स्तूप के गुंबद (अंड) के ऊपर स्थित एक छज्जेनुमा संरचना है, जो प्रतीकात्मक रूप से देवताओं के निवास स्थान का प्रतिनिधित्व करती है।
Q3. Which of the following best explains why Buddhism found considerable support among merchants (setthis) and women in its early period?
निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सा विकल्प यह सबसे अच्छी तरह स्पष्ट करता है कि आरंभिक काल में बौद्ध धर्म को व्यापारियों (श्रेष्ठियों) और महिलाओं के बीच व्यापक समर्थन क्यों मिला?
- A. Buddhism allowed merchants exclusive rights to perform yajnas, while women were granted separate temples / बौद्ध धर्म ने व्यापारियों को यज्ञ करने के विशेष अधिकार दिए, जबकि महिलाओं को अलग मंदिर प्रदान किए गए
- B. Buddhism required its followers to pay a fixed tax to the sangha, which merchants found administratively convenient / बौद्ध धर्म में अपने अनुयायियों को संघ को एक निश्चित कर देना आवश्यक था, जो व्यापारियों के लिए प्रशासनिक रूप से सुविधाजनक था
- C. Buddhism did not recognise existing social distinctions based on birth and offered membership of the sangha to men and women from many social backgrounds, which many found liberating / बौद्ध धर्म जन्म पर आधारित प्रचलित सामाजिक भेदों को मान्यता नहीं देता था और कई सामाजिक पृष्ठभूमियों के पुरुषों तथा महिलाओं को संघ की सदस्यता प्रदान करता था, जिसे बहुत से लोगों ने मुक्तिदायक पाया
- D. The Buddha declared that only merchants and women could attain nirvana within a single lifetime / बुद्ध ने घोषित किया कि केवल व्यापारी और महिलाएँ ही एक ही जीवनकाल में निर्वाण प्राप्त कर सकते हैं
Solution
Because Buddhism questioned the existing social order based on birth and admitted people regardless of gender or social background into the sangha, it attracted support from groups such as merchants and women who often faced disadvantages under the varna system.
क्योंकि बौद्ध धर्म ने जन्म पर आधारित प्रचलित सामाजिक व्यवस्था पर प्रश्न उठाए और लिंग या सामाजिक पृष्ठभूमि की परवाह किए बिना लोगों को संघ में प्रवेश दिया, इसने व्यापारियों और महिलाओं जैसे उन समूहों का समर्थन आकर्षित किया जो वर्ण व्यवस्था के अंतर्गत अक्सर नुकसान में रहते थे।

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are in the CBSE Class 12 Humanities History · Ch 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings – Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE-600 CE)?

30 questions for 30 marks, to be answered in 20 minutes.

Is there negative marking in the CBSE Class 12 Humanities History · Ch 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings – Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE-600 CE)?

No — wrong answers are not penalised in this test.

Which topics does the CBSE Class 12 Humanities History · Ch 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings – Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE-600 CE) cover?

Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings – Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE-600 CE) (30 questions).

Is the CBSE Class 12 Humanities History · Ch 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings – Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE-600 CE) free?

It is part of the CBSE Class 12 Humanities (Arts) Test Series 2027 — Chapter-wise + Full Tests (37 tests, ₹199). You can first try English · Ch 1: The Last Lesson for free.

More tests in the CBSE Class 12 Humanities (Arts) Test Series 2027 — Chapter-wise + Full Tests

See the full CBSE Class 12 Humanities (Arts) Test Series 2027 — Chapter-wise + Full Tests → · CBSE Class 12 Humanities: pattern, notification & syllabus →

₹199

View the full series