In which one of the following regions was Dhanyakataka, which flourished as a prominent Buddhist cen

Question

In which one of the following regions was Dhanyakataka, which flourished as a prominent Buddhist centre under the Mahasanghikas, located?

Accepted Answer

There are a few literary traditions about the presence of Buddhism in Andhra Pradesh during the pre-Mauryan period. The famous Buddhist sites of Amaravati and Dhanyakataka are associated with Buddha, as a birthplace of one of the previous births of Buddha and a preaching site of Buddha respectively.Amaravati and Dharanikota, both formed part of ancient Dhanyakataka, the capital of later Satavahanas. With the spread of Buddhism to different parts of the country, many sects appeared. For example:The Theravadins had their centre of activity at Kausambi;Mathura was the centre for the Sarvastivadins;The Bhadra Yanika sect flourished at Nasik and Kanheri.The origin of these sects may not have been originally due to differences in the doctrines. In fact, what contributed to their origin and growth were factors related to geographical diversities of the country, attitudes of various communities at the local levels and perhaps lack of coordination between the various exponents of the sects.Under the Satavahavas, the Dhanyakataka (Amaravati) region became the most important stronghold of Mahayana Buddhism whereas the Sthaviravadins were popular in the north. Hence option (a) is the correct answer.Source Citation: Themes in Indian History Part, NCERT: Kings, Farmers and Towns Early States and Economies (c. 600 BCE-600 CE)