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UPPCS Ancient History Gap Sheet: Buddhism: Teachings, Places and Councils.
UPPCS has asked 23 of these. 4 have not been asked yet. Lock the first list, then read the second: it holds what UPPCS has not used yet.
First, the concept
Buddhism explains suffering through causes and offers a path to its cessation. The Middle Way avoids both sensual indulgence and extreme austerity; karma works without an eternal, unchanging soul.
Separate events in Buddha’s life from later schools and council traditions. Council details differ across traditions, so attach a conventional account to its place and patron without treating all accounts as identical.
✅ Already asked (23)
Teachings and scriptures
- Four Noble Truths · Suffering, its origin, its cessation and the path to cessation.
- Noble Eightfold Path · Right view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and concentration.
- Middle Way · Avoids indulgence and extreme self-mortification.
- Anitya impermanence · Conditioned things are impermanent.
- Anatman non-self · Rejects an eternal, unchanging self.
- Vinaya Pitaka · Rules for the monastic community.
- Sutta Pitaka · Discourses attributed to Buddha and important disciples.
- Abhidhamma Pitaka · Systematic analysis of Buddhist teachings.
- Maitreya future Buddha · Recognised as the future Buddha.
- Nagarjuna Madhyamaka · Associated with shunyata, or emptiness.
- Buddhist refuge formula · The three refuges are Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.
- Jataka birth stories · Stories of Buddha's former births, often represented in early Buddhist art.
Life and council traditions
- Lumbini birthplace · In Nepal; Ashoka's Rummindei inscription records Buddha's birthplace.
- Bodh Gaya enlightenment · Under the Bodhi tree, near the Niranjana river.
- Mahabhinishkramana departure · Buddha's departure from household life.
- First council at Rajagriha · Traditional account: Ajatashatru's patronage; Mahakassapa presided.
- Second council at Vaishali · Traditional account links it with disputes over monastic discipline.
- Third council at Pataliputra · Theravada tradition: Ashoka's patronage; Moggaliputta Tissa presided.
- Kanishka's council tradition · Northern tradition places a council in Kashmir under Kanishka.
UP Buddhist centres
- Sarnath first sermon · Dharmachakrapravartana; near Varanasi.
- Kushinagar mahaparinirvana · Buddha died in the Malla territory.
- Shravasti and Jetavana · A major teaching centre; Jetavana monastery was donated by Anathapindika.
- Kaushambi and Ghositarama · A Buddhist centre of Vatsa during King Udayana's time.
❌ Not asked yet (4)
Items marked 'asked in other exams' have come in UPSC or other state exams, not yet in UPPCS.
🔒 4 items not asked yet
Teachings and scriptures: 3 · Additional UP site: 1
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⚠️ Bodh Gaya means enlightenment, Sarnath the first sermon and Kushinagar mahaparinirvana. Buddhism accepts rebirth but rejects an eternal self.
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