Q. Fa-Hien’s mission to India was to
(a) learn about the administrative system of the Gupta kings
(b) understand the social position of women during the Gupta period
(c) visit the Buddhist institutions and to collect copies of Buddhist manuscripts
(d) get full knowledge about the condition of peasants during the period of Gupta kings
Ans: (c) visit the Buddhist institutions and to collect copies of Buddhist manuscripts
Explanation: The correct answer is (c) visit the Buddhist institutions and to collect copies of Buddhist manuscripts.
Fa-Hien, also known as Faxian, was a Chinese Buddhist monk and traveler who undertook a journey to India during the Gupta period. His mission was primarily to visit and study the Buddhist institutions and collect Buddhist scriptures.
Fa-Hien sought to explore and document the Buddhist teachings and practices as they were observed in India, the birthplace of Buddhism. He traveled extensively throughout India, visiting numerous monasteries, stupas, and sacred sites associated with Buddhism.
His main objective was to obtain copies of Buddhist scriptures and bring them back to China. At that time, there was a decline of Buddhism in India, while it continued to flourish in China. By collecting and preserving the Buddhist texts, Fa-Hien aimed to contribute to the spread and preservation of Buddhist teachings in his homeland. Therefore, Fa-Hien’s mission to India was primarily focused on visiting Buddhist institutions and acquiring Buddhist manuscripts rather than specific concerns such as the administrative system, social position of women, or the condition of peasants during the Gupta period.
