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Question 7 of 76 · Buddhism & Jainism
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At what age did Vardhamana Mahavira leave home in search of the truth (enlightenment)?

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Answer: Option A — 30

Detailed Solution

Vardhamana Mahavira left his home and became a wandering ascetic at the age of 30, in search of the truth.

Mahavira's renunciation:

He was born a Kshatriya prince, and lived the life of a householder; according to the Shvetambara tradition, he married Yashoda and had a daughter named Priyadarshana, while the Digambara tradition holds that he never married.

After the death of his parents, and with the permission of his elder brother Nandivardhana, he renounced his home and family.

He gave away his wealth and became a monk.

His years of austerity:

  • For 12 and a half years, he lived a life of severe penance (tapas) and meditation, wandering from place to place.
  • He endured hardship, hunger and insults with patience.
  • According to the Shvetambaras, he gave up clothes after about 13 months.
  • He attained "kevala jnana" (supreme knowledge) at the age of 42, under a sal tree on the banks of the river Rijupalika, near the village of Jrimbhikagrama.
  • After that, he was called "Kevalin" (the omniscient), "Jina" and "Mahavira" (great hero).
  • He preached for about 30 years, travelling across Magadha, Videha, Kosala, Anga and other regions.
  • He preached in Prakrit, the language of ordinary people.
  • He died (attained nirvana) at the age of 72.

Comparison with the Buddha:

  • Gautama Buddha left home at the age of 29.
  • The Buddha attained enlightenment at 35, at Bodh Gaya.
  • The Buddha died at the age of 80.

Mahavira's teachings:

  • Non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness, non-stealing, non-attachment and celibacy.
  • Right faith, right knowledge and right conduct as the path to liberation.
  • Liberation of the soul from karma through austerity.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗29 is the age at which the Buddha left home.
  • ✗35 is the age at which the Buddha attained enlightenment.
  • ✗42 is the age at which Mahavira attained kevala jnana.

Quick tip

Remember: Mahavira = left home at 30, kevala jnana at 42 (after 12.5 years of austerity), died at 72; Buddha = left home at 29, enlightenment at 35, died at 80.

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Buddhism & Jainism — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Buddhism & Jainism, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

Buddhism and Jainism arose in the 6th century BCE as reform movements. This topic covers the lives and teachings of Gautama Buddha and Mahavira, the Jain tirthankaras, the Buddhist councils, the sects of both religions, their sacred texts and the places linked to them. Common questions cover the four great events of the Buddha's life and their places (birth at Lumbini, enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, first sermon at Sarnath, death at Kushinagar), the four Buddhist councils with their kings and venues, and the Jain sects Digambara and Shvetambara. Learning the councils as a table of place, king and president is the fastest way to revise. Practise the Buddhism and Jainism questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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