Which of the following is/are the causes for the Decline of Buddhism in India?
1. The revival of Brahmanism and the rise of Bhagavatism.
2. The Buddhists began to adopt Sanskrit, the language of the elite.
3. The practice of idol worship.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation:
Causes for the Decline of Buddhism in India
The revival of Brahmanism and the rise of Bhagavatism led to the fall of popularity of Buddhism. The use of Pali, the language of the masses as the language of Buddhism was given up from the 1st century A.D. The Buddhists began to adopt Sanskrit, the language of the elite. After the birth of Mahayana Buddhism, the practice of idol worship and making offerings led to the deterioration of moral standards. Moreover, the attack of the Huns in 5th and 6th centuries and the Turkish invaders in 12th century destroyed the monasteries. All these factors contributed to the decline of Buddhism in India.
Hence, option (d) is correct.