2025 · Q5
Which one of the following statement about the Ajivikas is not correct?
General KnowledgeHistory of India
- AThey did not practise discrimination on the basis of caste or class.
- BThey had a corporate organisation and canonical texts.
- CThey practised severe asceticism, often eating very little food.
- DThey formed an alliance with Jainas against Buddhists.
Explanation
The Ajivikas, founded by Makkhali Gosala, were an independent heterodox sect; there is no historical evidence of an alliance between the Ajivikas and the Jainas against the Buddhists. They genuinely rejected caste and class distinctions, had a corporate organisation with canonical texts, and practised severe asceticism including minimal eating. The statement about a Jain-Ajivika alliance is therefore the incorrect one.