Q. Which of the following is / are correct statements about the Ajivika Sect?

1. It was a breakaway branch of original Buddhism
2. The rise of this sect happened in the times of Buddha
3. The sect was established by Charvaka

Select the correct option from the codes given below:
Answer: Only 2
Notes: Ajivika was a loosely organized group of wandering ascetics (shramanas or sannyasins) and was primarily a heterodox Hindu (Nastika) or atheistic system that flourished during Mahajanapada period and was contempoarary of Buddha. One of their main leaders was Makkhali Gosal. Ajivikas are is thought to be contemporaneous to other early Hindu nastika philosophical schools of thought, such as Charvaka, Jainism & Buddhism but it was not a breakaway branch of Buddhism.

This question is part of UPSC Daily 20 MCQ Series Course on GKToday Android app.