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UPSC Prelims 2026 GS Paper 1, question 12

Topic: Art and culture

Q12

What does an empty seat represent in early Buddhist iconography ?

  1. (a) The meditation of the BuddhaCorrect answer
  2. (b) The Buddha's First Sermon
  3. (c) The Buddha's Mahaparinibbana
  4. (d) The Buddha's Mahabhinishkramana

Solution.

Answer: (a) The meditation of the Buddha

  1. In early aniconic Buddhist relief sculpture (such as at Sanchi and Bharhut), an empty seat or throne beneath the Bodhi tree represents the meditation of the Buddha.
  2. The First Sermon is represented by the Dharmachakra (wheel), the Mahaparinibbana by the stupa, and the Mahabhinishkramana (Great Departure) by a riderless horse.