Question
How many councils were held after the death of Gautam Buddha? Describe them in brief.
Solution
After the death of Gautam Buddha, four Buddhist councils were called to compile the teachings of Buddha and to make changes which had become necessary with the change of the time.
A brief description of the Buddhist councils:
First Council: It was held in about 483 B.C. at Rajgriha (Magadha) soon after the death of Lord Gautam Buddha. It was presided over by Mahakasapa and attended by 500 Buddhist scholars including Ananda and Upali. According to certain scholars it settled Dhamma and Vinaya and so gave a definite shape to the teachings of Lord Buddha which are contained in first two Tripitakas. The council was held under the patronage of the ruler of Magadha Ajatashatru. Vinayapitaka lays down the rules of the Sangha, Suttapitaka deals with the slaves and legends regarding the life of Gautam Buddha.
Second Council: The second Buddhist council was called in 387 B.C. at Vaisali. This council was called because of certain practices by the monks which were against ‘Vinayapitaka’ and this led to division among the monks. Those who struck firmly to the teaching of ‘Vinaya-pitaka’ were called ‘Sthavir’ and those who adopted it with certain changes called ‘Mahasanghic’.
Third Council: The third general council was held at Patliputra during the reign of Asoka, 236 years after the death of Buddha, under the chairmanship of a learned monk Moggalipulta Tissa to revise the scriptures. The council accomplished two important results. Firstly, it made a new classification of the Buddhist canonical texts by the addition of a third Pitaka called the ‘Abhidhamma Pitaka’ which contained the philosophical interpretations of the doctrines of the existing two Pitakas. As a result of this, the savings and discourses of the Buddha now came to be known as the Tripitaka. Secondly, the canonical literature was precisely, definitely and authoritatively settled so as to eliminate all disruptive tendencies, making all divisions within the church punishable.
Fourth Council: This council was summoned at the desire of emperor Kanishka in Kashmir at Kundal Vana. It aimed at putting an end to the gulf that had been created between Mahayanists and Hinayanists. This council could not be a success and henceforward the Buddhists were divided into sects permanently. One of the main causes of the decline and downfall of the Buddhism, later on, was Mahayana form of Buddhism since it introduced the worship of the images of Buddha and number of other rituals and ceremonies which closely resembled those Hinduism.
