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Buddhist council
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Why were Buddhist councils held?
Buddhist councils were convened in the centuries following the Buddha's death to recite approved scriptural texts and resolve doctrinal disputes. The first council aimed to compile the Buddha's rules of discipline and instructive aphorisms. A subsequent council addressed disputes regarding relaxed rules of discipline. Disagreements in interpreting monastic discipline and doctrine led to divisions within the Buddhist community and the formation of different schools.
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Who attended the first Buddhist council?
The first Buddhist council was held at RÄjagį¹ha (modern RÄjgÄ«r, BihÄr state, India) during the first rainy season after the Buddhaās death. Compilations of the Buddhaās rules of vinaya (monastic discipline), under the direction of the elder UpÄli, and of the sutras (instructive aphorisms), under the direction of the disciple Änanda, were made. The entire assembly consisted of 500 monks who then recited the approved texts.
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What happened during the second Buddhist council?
The second Buddhist council took place in VaiÅÄlÄ«, India, roughly a century after the Buddha's death. It aimed to address disagreements concerning the more relaxed disciplinary rules adopted by the monks of VaiÅÄlÄ«. The council was split between those who supported the relaxed practices and those who opposed them. The majority voted against the practices, leading to a schism where the minority formed the MahÄsaį¹ ghika school. The disputed practices included storing salt, eating or begging after hours, and accepting gold and silver as alms.
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How did Buddhist councils influence the development of Buddhism?
Buddhist councils played a crucial role in shaping the development of Buddhism after the Buddha's death. These assemblies were convened to recite and approve scriptural texts and resolve doctrinal differences.
The First Council aimed to compile the Buddha's teachings and monastic rules. The Second Council addressed disciplinary rules, leading to the first major schism within the Buddhist community, resulting in the emergence of the MahÄsaį¹ ghika school. The Third Council, during Emperor Ashoka's reign, may have focused on clarifying interpretations of monastic discipline. The chronicles of the SarvÄstivÄda school mention a council during the reign of Kaniį¹£ka, where commentaries on the scriptures were composed. These councils reflect efforts to standardize doctrine and practice, contributing to the evolution and diversification of Buddhist traditions.
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How do modern Buddhists view the historical Buddhist councils today?
Modern Buddhists hold diverse views on the historical Buddhist councils, which were convened to recite scriptures and resolve doctrinal differences. While the historicity of these councils is debated, they remain significant events that shaped Buddhist traditions.
Theravada Buddhists generally recognize the first three councils, while disagreeing on subsequent ones. The Sixth Buddhist Council, held in Yangon in 1954-1956, aimed to review and recite the Pali Theravada canon. Mahayana Buddhists, while organized as a monastic movement, also emphasize the importance of the laity. Overall, the councils reflect the evolving interpretations and practices within the Buddhist community.
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Buddhist council, any of several assemblies convened in the centuries following the death of the Buddha to recite approved texts of scriptures and to settle doctrinal disputes. Little reliable evidence of the historicity of the councils exists, and not all councils are recognized by all the traditions; on occasion they resulted in schisms within the Buddhist community.
The first council, held at RÄjagį¹ha (modern RÄjgÄ«r, BihÄr state, India), is said to have taken place during the first rainy season following the Buddhaās death. Compilations were made of the Buddhaās rules of vinaya (monastic discipline), under the direction of the elder UpÄli, and of the sutras (instructive aphorisms), under the direction of the disciple Änanda. The entire assembly of 500 monks then recited the approved texts. Many scholars deny that the Council of RÄjagį¹ha took place.
The second council was held at VaiÅÄlÄ« (BihÄr state) a little more than a century after the Buddhaās death. Virtually all scholars agree that this council was a historical event. It was called to settle a dispute regarding the relaxed rules of discipline followed by the monks of VaiÅÄlÄ«. According to the Sri Lankan TheravÄda (āWay of the Eldersā) tradition, the assembled council of monks was split between those who supported the relaxed practices of the VaiÅÄlÄ« monks and those who were opposed to them. A majority of the council voted against the VaiÅÄlÄ« rules, whereupon the defeated minority of monks withdrew and formed the MahÄsaį¹ ghika school. The list of 10 disputed practices differs in various accounts of the council but apparently dealt with such questions as the storing of salt, eating or begging after the prescribed hours, taking as precedent for oneās actions the practices of oneās tutor, and accepting gold and silver as alms. Accounts of the schism between the MahÄsaį¹ ghikas and the TheravÄdins (Sanskrit: SthaviravÄdins) give significance also to doctrinal differences on the nature of the arhat. Scholarship has shown that the TheravÄdin account of the council is probably incorrect; all Buddhist traditions disagree in their accounts of the council.
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The third council, held during the reign of the emperor AÅoka at his capital, PÄį¹aliputra (modern Patna), about 247 bc, may have been confined to an assembly of the TheravÄdas. By then the faithful had divided into schools and subschools holding different interpretations of monastic discipline; it thus became difficult for monks of separate schools who presided together to hold the fortnightly uposatha ceremony, which required prior confession by monks of any breach of discipline. This difficulty may have prompted the convening of the third council. Those monks who failed to declare themselves VibhajyavÄdins (adherents of the ādoctrine of analysis,ā presumably TheravÄdins) were turned out of the assembly. The fifth book of the Abhidhamma Piį¹aka (āBasket of Scholasticismā; a part of the TheravÄda canon) contains an examination and refutation of the views held by the third council to be heretical.
The chronicles of the SarvÄstivÄda (āAll Is Realā) school do not mention the Council of AÅoka. The council that they speak of as the thirdāand about which the TheravÄdas, in turn, are silentāwas held during the reign of Kaniį¹£ka at JÄlandhara (or, according to other sources, in Kashmir). The uncertainty of Kaniį¹£kaās dates makes dating of the council equally difficult, but it may have been held in about ad 100. The renowned scholar Vasumitra was named president of the council; and, according to one tradition, commentaries on the scriptures were composed under his direction and copies were enclosed in stupas (reliquaries).
In the modern era, a notable Buddhist council was the sixth, which convened in YangĆ“n (Rangoon) from May 1954 to May 1956 to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary (according to TheravÄda chronology) of the death of Gautama Buddha. The entire text of the PÄli TheravÄda canon was reviewed and recited by the assembly of monks from Myanmar (Burma), India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Pakistan.