Who of the following was a contemporary of Gautama Buddha ?

Vardhamana Mahavira was a senior contemporary of Gautama Buddha. Both religious leaders lived and preached in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, primarily in the Magadha region [c1][c2][t6]. Historical and scriptural evidence indicates that Mahavira was approximately 17 years older than Buddha and predeceased him by about 25 years [t5][t10]. While Buddha's birth is often cited around 560-563 BCE [c1][t7], Mahavira's birth is traditionally placed around 540 BCE or 599 BCE [c2][t6]. In contrast, Parsvanatha was the 23rd Tirthankara who lived roughly 250 years before Mahavira [t6]. Chandragupta Maurya and his spiritual guide Bhadrabahu lived in the late 4th century BCE, long after the death of Buddha [t3][t9]. Therefore, only Vardhamana Mahavira fits the timeline of being a contemporary of Gautama Buddha.

Sources

1. [1] Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Timeline and Sources of History > How Is Time Measured in History? > p. 62
2. [2] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 3: Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects > Life of Mahavira > p. 39