Question

Q. With reference to the history of Buddhism, the term ‘Kutagarashala’ means:

• A. A place of worship and chanting
• B. A temporary prison meant for violators of monastery rules.
• C. A place where the mortal remains of monks were preserved.
• D. A place where debates used to take place.

Answer 1

The correct option is D A place where debates used to take place.

Explanation:

We get a glimpse of lively discussions and debates from Buddhist texts, which mention as many as 64 sects or schools of thought. Teachers traveled from place to place, trying to convince one another as well as laypersons, about the validity of their philosophy or the way they understood the world.

Debates took place in the Kutagarashala – a hut with a pointed roof – or in groves where traveling mendicants halted. If a philosopher succeeded in convincing one of his rivals, the followers of the latter also became his disciples. So support for any particular sect could grow and shrink over time.