What does an empty seat represent in early Buddhist iconography ?
Show answer
Answer: A. In early Buddhist art the Buddha was not shown in human form. Symbols stood for events in his life: an empty seat stood for the Buddha's meditation, the stupa for his mahaparinibbana, and the wheel for his first sermon.
Watch for: All four are symbolised events, so students mix up which symbol goes with which.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Wrong because the first sermon is shown by a wheel (dharmachakra), not an empty seat.
- C. Wrong because the mahaparinibbana is shown by a stupa.
- D. Wrong because the great departure is usually shown by a riderless horse, not an empty seat.
Source to check: NCERT Class 12 'Themes in Indian History Part I', Chapter 4 'Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings' (section on symbols in sculpture)
Answer from the provisional UPSC key; it may change when the final key is out. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.