History of the four buddhist councils

1. By:-Rituparn Masram
Courtesy:-
(http://www.hinduwebsite.com/buddhism/buddhistcou
ncils.asp)

2. • Immediately after the Buddha's death, a gathering of 500
monks took place at Rajagriha in about 487 B.C.
representing various sanghas under the leadership of
Mahakassapa.
• Upali and Ananda, two of the Buddha's chief disciples,
said to have recited the Vinaya Pithaka and Sutta Pitaka
infront of the gathering. Historians doubt the authenticity
of this account.

3. • About a hundred years after the Buddha's death the
second Buddhist council was said to have been
convened at Vaisali, around 387 B.C. The council was
called mainly to discuss certain serious differences that
arose within the Buddhist Order over the true
interpretation of the Buddha's teachings and certain
practices followed by some monks, especially the monks
of Vaisali.

4. • The orthodox followers of the Buddha believed that the monks
of Vaisali were taking liberties with the rules prescribed in the
Vinaya Pitaka. The council discussed the matter at length, but
could not reach an agreement.
• This resulted in the great schism within the Order and led to
the formation of the two divergent schools of thought. The first
school advocated strict adherence to the age old traditions of
Buddhism and compliance with the original teachings of the
Buddha. They were called The Sthaviravadins.
• The second group did not find a problem in having a liberal
attitude towards the rules prescribed in the Pitakas and the
deviations followed by the monks of Vaisali. They became
known as the Mahasamghikas.
• The schism subsequently led to the formal division of
Buddhism into irreconcilable Hinayana and the Mahayana

5. • The Third Buddhist Council was held at Pataliputra,
about 236 years after the death of the Buddha, during the
reign of Asoka. It was presided over by Moggaliputta
Tissa and said to have also been attended by king Asoka
himself in the capacity of a monk.
• It was presided over by Moggaliputta Tissa and said to
have also been attended by king Asoka himself in the
capacity of a monk. Many heretics were expelled during
this meeting.
• The Sthaviravadins established themselves as the
orthodox school of Buddhism, firmly adhering to the
original teachings of the Buddha and unwilling to make
any compromises.
• The Council also made some additions and alterations to
the existing Buddhist Pali Canon by brining together the
Vinaya Pitaka and Dhamma Pitaka with the Kathavaththu

6. • The Fourth Buddhist Council was held in Kashmir or at
Jullundhar under during the reign of Kanishka, the
famous Kushana King of great valor and personal charm,
who in the early Christian era ruled large parts of central
Asia and the north western India.
• He was a patron of Buddhism and was instrumental in
spreading the religion in the northwestern borders of
India. He played a key role in organizing the fourth
Buddhist Concil.
• The Council was presided over by Vasumitra and
Asvaghosha and had to deal with a seriious conflict
between the Sarvasthivada teachers of Kashmir and
Gandhara.

7. • During this meeting the Sarvasthavadin doctrines were
organized into a Mahavibhasa containing three large
commentaries on the Pitakas.
• The reign of Kanishka witnessed the ascendence of the
Mahayana sect.
• The followers of the Hinayana sect adhered strictly to the
early teachings of the Buddha and were uncompromising
on the fundamental teachings of the Buddha such as the
existence of soul and God.
• They did not introduce new gods or heavens, nor
encouraged any speculation about such matters as
Nirvana and the after life of an of Arhat.

8. • The followers of the Mahayana sect, on the other hand,
tried to elaborate upon the earlier doctrines and remove
the ambiguities and contradictions inherent in early
Buddhism by providing new explanations and
clarifications.
• They expanded the scope of Buddhism by introducing
new theories and practices so as to make it more familiar
and meaningful to the lay Buddhists. They also elevated
the status of the Buddha to that of God to rest all
questions and doubts regarding the existence of the
Buddha after his parinirvana.

9. • The four Buddhist councils can be considered as the four
mile stones in the history of Buddhism. If the Four Noble
Truths formed the core of the Buddha's teachings, these
four Buddhist meetings formed the core of its early
history.
• They helped the followers of the Buddhist Order to sort
out the differences amongst them in a democratic and
collective manner.
• Where rapprochement was not possible the Councils
defined the boundaries by organizing the Canonical texts
and fomralizing their interpretation

10. • Initially the divisions with in the Buddhist Order did not
weaken Buddhism, though they caused a lot of confusion
and commotion and gave scope for the entry of certain
corrupt and unethical practices.
• But in the long run they also provided the much needed
diversity and flexibility to Buddhism, by offering a wide
range of alternatives to the would be followers.
• Since the followers of Buddhism came from different
social, geographical and cultural backgrounds, this
diversity suited them. They were able to chose the best
path according to their inclinations and inner aspirations
and the peculiarities of their own environment.