The 6th century BCE was a period of religious reforms in various parts of the world. It was an age when great religious teachers, philosophers and thinkers lived. Their ideas brought about revolutionary changes in many aspects of daily life. India saw the rise of Jainism and Buddhism.

1. What were the social conditions that led to the rise of these reform movements?
2. Which reform movement took place in China around the same time?

1. Several social conditions led to the rise of Jainism and Buddhism:

   1. Rituals in the Later Vedic Age became complex, costly, and dominated by Brahmanas, making them burdensome for common people.
   2. The caste system became rigid, creating inequality and denying religious rights to lower castes.
   3. Vedic texts in Sanskrit were inaccessible to the masses, who spoke Prakrit or Pali, leading to a disconnect.
   4. Brahmanas exploited this ignorance to increase their power and wealth.

2. In China, Confucianism and Taoism developed around the same time as Jainism and Buddhism.