Assertion: Mahavira and the Buddha, questioned the authority of the Vedas.
Reason: They emphasized individual agency – suggesting that men and women could strive to attain liberation from the trials and tribulations of worldly existence.

Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

The Buddhist texts offer us intriguing glimpses into animated discussions and debates encompassing as many as 64 sects or schools of thought. Esteemed teachers embarked on journeys, traversing different places, earnestly trying to persuade each other and laypersons about the soundness of their philosophies and their unique understanding of the world. These captivating debates unfolded in kutagarashalas, huts with pointed roofs, or in peaceful groves where traveling mendicants found solace.

When a philosopher succeeded in persuading one of their rivals, an extraordinary transformation occurred as the followers of the defeated party willingly embraced the winning philosopher's teachings and became their disciples. This dynamic process led to fluctuations in support for different sects over time.

Notably, some of these revered teachers, including Mahavira and the Buddha, questioned the authority of the Vedas. They placed great emphasis on individual agency, encouraging both men and women to strive for liberation from the trials and tribulations of worldly existence. This starkly contrasted with the Brahmanical position, which tied an individual's existence to their caste or gender, as we have seen earlier.

Through these spirited debates and profound philosophical insights, ancient India's intellectual landscape flourished, paving the way for diverse ideas and perspectives that challenged established norms and shaped the evolution of human thought and emancipation.