SES GURUKUL

2023-2024
History
Class- VI
Chapter 7- New Questions and Ideas
Model answer key

Q1. Describe the ways in which the Buddha tried to spread his message to the people.
1. Buddha taught the people in Prakrit, which was the language of the ordinary people so
that everybody could understand his message without any difficulty.
2. He also encouraged people to think for themselves rather to simply accept what he said.
3. Buddha, himself set an example to lead a simple life.
4. Gautam Buddha moved from place to place to give his message to all people- ordinary as
well as people from other classes of society.

Q2. What are the Upanishads?

1. The Upanishads are ancient Sanskrit texts of spiritual teaching and ideas of Hinduism.
2. They are the part of the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, the Vedas, that deal with
meditation, philosophy, and spiritual knowledge; other parts of the Vedas deal with
mantras, benedictions, rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices.

Q3. What were the questions that the Upanishadic thinkers wanted to answer?
The questions that Upanishadic thinkers wanted to answer were:
i) Some of them wanted to know about life after death, others wanted to know why sacrifices
should be performed.
ii) Some of thinkers felt that there was something permanent in the universe that would last even
after death. They describe this as the atman or the individual soul and the Brahman or the
universal soul.

Q4. Describe how Jainism spread in other parts of India.

1. Jainism was initially supported mainly by traders.
2. Farmers found it difficult to follow the rules since they required to kill the insects affecting
crops.
3. Over centuries, Jainism spread to different parts of north India, and to Gujarat, Tamil Nadu
and Karnataka.

Q5. Write a short note on the life story of Vardhamana Mahavira.

1. Vardhamana Mahavira was a Kshatriya prince of the Lichchhavis, a group that was part of the
Vajji Sangha.
2. At the age of thirty, Mahavira left home and went to live in a forest. For twelve years he led a
hard and lonely life, at the end of which he attained enlightenment.
3. The teachings of Mahavira and his followers were written down at a place called Valabhi, in
Gujarat, about 1500 years ago.
Q6. Discuss the Monasteries of the Jains and the Buddhists.
1. To begin with, both Jaina and Buddhist monks went from place to place throughout the year,
teaching people about their religions. The only time they stayed in one place was during the
rainy season, when it was very difficult to travel.
2. As time passed on, the supporters of the monks built temporary shelters for them in gardens or
they lived in natural caves in hilly areas.
3. Then, several supporters of monks and nuns and they themselves, felt the need for more
permanent shelters. These were known as Viharas. The earliest Viharas were made of wood, and
then of brick. Some were even dug out in hills, especially in western India.
4. Generally, the land on which the Vihara was built was donated by a rich merchant or the ruler.
The local people came with gifts of foods, clothing and medicines etc. for the monks and nuns.
In return they taught the people their teachings.

Q7. Describe Buddha’s life in brief.

1. Buddha (original name—Siddhartha Gautama) belonged to a small ‘gana’ and was a
Kshatriya.
2. At an early age, he left the comforts of home and went in search of knowledge.
3. He wandered for several years, and met and discussed with other contemporary thinkers.
4. He meditated for several days under a ‘peepal’ tree at Bodh Gaya in Bihar. Here, after
meditation, he attained enlightenment.
5. This gave him the name ‘the Buddha’ (the Wise One).
6. He went to Samath where he gave his first sermon.
7. He travelled and preached for the rest of his life till he died at Kusinara.