Who among the following were teachers of the Ajivika Sect?

A. Purana Kashyapa
B. Mallinatha
C. Pakudha Katyayana
D. Neminatha
E. Goshala Maskariputra

Choose the Correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is B

The Ajivika sect was an ancient Indian philosophical and religious movement that emerged around the same time as Buddhism and Jainism. It is known for its doctrine of Niyati (absolute determinism).
The major teachers of the Ajivika sect were:
A. Purana Kashyapa – Known as one of the six heretical teachers during the time of Buddha, associated with non-theistic philosophies, including the Ajivika.
C. Pakudha Katyayana – Another contemporaneous thinker, often linked with the Ajivika school.
E. Goshala Maskariputra – The most prominent leader and formalizer of the Ajivika movement; a contemporary and early associate of Mahavira (the Jain Tirthankara), later becoming his rival.

Information Booster:

The Ajivikas were known for their fatalistic view of life, believing that everything is preordained and that human effort cannot alter fate. They practiced severe asceticism and believed in an atomistic theory of the universe. The sect reached its peak during the reign of Bindusara, the father of Emperor Ashoka, who is said to have supported the Ajivikas. Goshala Maskariputra is considered the actual founder who gave structure to the Ajivika doctrine.

Additional Knowledge:

B. Mallinatha is the 19th Tirthankara of Jainism (in the Shvetambara tradition).

D. Neminatha is the 22nd Tirthankara in Jainism, predating Mahavira.