Ancient Indian Education System

Concept: The Light of Asia is a famous poetic work published in 1879 that presents the life and teachings of Gautama Buddha in an accessible and literary form for Western audiences. It played a significant role in introducing Buddhist philosophy to the modern world.
Step 1: Identify the literary work.
The Light of Asia is not a title given to a person, but rather a celebrated book about the Buddha.
Step 2: Recognize the author.
The work was written by Edwin Arnold, an English poet and journalist.
Step 3: Analyze the options.

• Edwin Arnold – author of The Light of Asia (correct)
• Rabindranath Tagore – Indian Nobel laureate poet
• Max Muller – scholar of Indology and Vedic texts
• T. W. Rhys Davids – Pali scholar and founder of the Pali Text Society

Step 4: Conclusion.
Thus, Edwin Arnold is associated with the work The Light of Asia, which popularized the life of the Buddha in modern literature.

Concept: Ancient India was home to several great centres of learning, among which Nalanda University stands out as one of the most prestigious institutions for higher education, especially in Buddhist studies.
Step 1: Understand the significance of Nalanda.
Nalanda:

• Flourished between the 5th and 12th centuries CE
• Was supported by Gupta and later rulers
• Attracted students and scholars from across Asia
• Specialized in Mahayana Buddhism, philosophy, logic, and medicine

Step 2: Compare with other universities.

• Takshashila – earlier centre, diverse subjects
• Nalanda – major centre of Mahayana Buddhism (correct)
• Vikramashila – later Buddhist centre, also important
• Ujjain – known for astronomy and mathematics

Step 3: Identify the correct answer.
Nalanda was the most renowned centre for Mahayana Buddhist studies.