Consider the following statements regarding the social policies of early Buddhism and Jainism:
1. Both systems actively rejected the divine authority of the Vedas and criticized birth-based social hierarchies of the varna system.
2. Both movements permitted women to enter the monastic fold as nuns, providing an independent path to spiritual liberation outside domestic boundaries.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Accepted Answer

Both statements are correct. Early heterodox sects gained fast popularity because they broke down traditional boundaries. They allowed individuals from lower varna brackets to enter the Sangha and achieve spiritual equalizing. Crucially, by creating monastic options for women, they provided unprecedented social and intellectual independence outside rigid householder structures.

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