Early Buddhism

Scriptures

Pali Canon Agamas Gandharan texts

Councils

1st Council 2nd Council 3rd Council 4th Council

Schools

First Sangha ├ Mahāsāṃghika └ Sthaviravāda     ├ Sarvāstivāda     └ Vibhajjavāda         ├ Theravāda         └ Dharma-              guptaka

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The Sattapanni Cave in Rajgir, where the First Buddhist Council was held. The term Early Buddhism can refer to Pre-sectarian Buddhism, which refers to the Teachings and monastic organization and structure founded by Gautama The Gandhāran Buddhist Texts are the oldest Buddhist manuscripts yet discovered dating from about the first century CE and also the oldest Indian manuscripts yet discovered The Second Buddhist council took place in Vesali, about one hundred years after the Buddha 's Parinibbāna, in order to settle a serious dispute on The Third Buddhist council was convened in about 250 BCE at Asokarama in Patiliputta, supposedly under the patronage of Emperor Asoka. Two councils frequently called Fourth Buddhist Council were held The Early Buddhist schools are those schools into which according to most scholars the Buddhist monastic Sangha initially split due originally to differences in The term pre-sectarian Buddhism is used by some scholars to refer to the Buddhism that existed before the various subsects of Buddhism came into being The Mahāsāṃghika ( Devanagari महासांघिक also transliterated "Mahasanghika" and "Mahasamghika" (lit Sthaviravāda ( Sanskrit; Chinese 上座部 literally means "Teaching Of The Elders" Sarvastivada is an early school of Buddhism that held to 'the existence of all Dharmas in the past present and future the 'three times' Vibhajjavāda is an umbrella classification for Buddhist denominations that promote analysis as a primary tool for developing 'insight' (Sanskrit Prajñā History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation The Dharmaguptaka are one of the eighteen or twenty schools of Early Buddhism, depending on one's source

According to late commentarial accounts, King Ajatashatru (Sanskrit अजातशत्रु) sponsored the First Buddhist council. Ajātashatru ( Sanskrit अजातशत्रु ruled 491- 461 BCE) was a king of the Magadha empire that ruled north India It was convened in the year following the Buddha's Parinibbana, which would be 499/8 BCE according to Theravada tradition, at various earlier dates according to various Mahayana traditions, and various later dates according to various Western estimates. History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for ^[1] Tradition holds that the Council was held in a hall erected by Ajatasattu outside the Sattaparnaguha Cave (Pali: Sattapanniguha) in Rajgir, three months after the Buddha had died. Ajātashatru ( Sanskrit अजातशत्रु ruled 491- 461 BCE) was a king of the Magadha empire that ruled north India Pali ( ISO 15919 / ALA-LC: Pāḷi is a Middle Indo-Aryan language or Prakrit of India. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Rajgir is a city and a notified area in Nalanda district in the Indian state of Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder Detailed accounts of this historic meeting can be found in the Khandhaka sections of the canonical Vinayas.

According to this record the incident which prompted the Elder Mahakassapa to call this meeting was his hearing a disparaging remark about the strict rule of life for monks. Mahākāśyapa or Kāśyapa was a brahman of Magadha, who became one of the principal disciples of Śākyamuni Buddha and who convened and directed This is what allegedly happened. The monk Subhadda, who had ordained late in life, upon hearing that the Buddha had expired, voiced his resentment at having to abide by all the rules for monks laid down by the Buddha. Many monks lamented the passing of the Buddha and were deeply grieved. However, the Elder Mahakassapa heard Subhadda say: "Enough your Reverences, do not grieve, do not lament. We are well rid of this great recluse (the Buddha). We were tormented when he said, 'this is allowable to you, this is not allowable to you' but now we will be able to do as we like and we will not have to do what we do not like. "

Mahakassapa was alarmed by his remark and feared that the Dhamma and the Vinaya might be corrupted and not survive intact if other monks were to behave like Subhadda and interpret the Dhamma and the Vinaya rules as they pleased. Dhamma ( Pāli: धम्म or Dharma (धर्म in Buddhism has two primary meanings the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment The Vinaya (a word in Pāli as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning 'leading out' 'education' 'discipline' is the regulatory framework for the Buddhist To avoid this he decided that the Dhamma must be preserved and protected. To this end after gaining the Sangha's approval he called to council five hundred Arahants. This article concerns the concept of Sangha in Buddhism. For information on other senses see Sangha (disambiguation. In the sramanic traditions of ancient India (most notably those of Mahavira and Gautama Buddha) arhat ( Sanskrit) or arahant Ananda was to be included in this provided he attained Arahanthood by the time the council convened. Ānanda was one of many principal disciples and a devout attendant of the Buddha.

With the Elder Mahakassapa presiding, the five-hundred Arahant monks met in council during the rainy season. The first thing Mahakassapa did was to question the foremost expert on the Vinaya of the day, Venerable Upali on particulars of the monastic rule. Upali ( Sanskrit उपालि upāli) was a monk one of the ten chief disciples of the Buddha. This monk was well qualified for the task as the Buddha had taught him the whole of the Vinaya himself. The Elder Mahakassapa asked him specifically about the ruling on the first offense parajika, with regard to the subject, the occasion, the individual introduced, the proclamation, the repetition of the proclamation, the offense and the case of non-offense. In Buddhism, the Patimokkha is the basic Theravada code of monastic discipline consisting of 227 rules for fully ordained monks ( Bhikkhus and 311 for nuns ( Bhikkhunis Upali gave knowledgeable and adequate answers and his remarks met with the unanimous approval of the presiding Sangha. This article concerns the concept of Sangha in Buddhism. For information on other senses see Sangha (disambiguation. Thus, the Vinaya was formally approved.

Ananda reciting the Sutta Pitaka

The Elder Mahakassapa then turned his attention to Ananda in virtue of his reputable expertise in all matters connected with the Dhamma. Ānanda was one of many principal disciples and a devout attendant of the Buddha. The Sutta Pitaka (suttapiṭaka or Suttanta Pitaka cf Sanskrit सूत्र पिटक Sutra Pitaka) is the second of the three divisions of the Tipitaka or Happily, the night before the Council was to meet, Ananda had attained Arahantship and joined the Council. The Elder Mahakassapa, therefore, was able to question him at length with complete confidence about the Dhamma with specific reference to the Buddha's sermons. This interrogation on the Dhamma sought to verify the place where all the discourses were first preached and the person to whom they had been addressed.

Ananda aided by his word-perfect memory was able to answer accurately and so the Discourses met with the unanimous approval of the Sangha. The First Council also gave its official seal of approval for the closure of the chapter on the minor and lesser rules, and approval for their observance. It took the monks seven months to recite the whole of the Vinaya and the Dhamma and those monks sufficiently endowed with good memories retained all that had been recited. This historic first council came to be known as the Pancasatika because five-hundred fully enlightened Arahants had taken part in it.

According to the Macmillan Encyclopedia of Buddhism (2004),^[2]

". . . its historicity is questioned by virtually all Buddhist scholars. They argue that while it was not unlikely that a small group of Buddha's intimate disciples gathered after his death, a council held in the grand style described in the scriptures is almost certainly a fiction. "

Notes

1. ^ Gombrich, Richard (1988/2002). Theravada Buddhism. London: Routledge. Gombrich, p. 32, writes: "The Buddhist era begins at the Buddha's Enlightenment. Modern Theravadins date this in 544/3 BCE, but this tradition is of uncertain antiquity. . . . [T]he best we can say is that he was probably Enlightened between 550 and 450 [BCE], more likely later rather than earlier. "
2. ^ (Volume One) pages 187f

See also

• Buddhist councils
  • Second Buddhist council
  • Third Buddhist council
  • Fourth Buddhist councils
  • Fifth Buddhist council
  • Sixth Buddhist council

External links

Ancient accounts of the First Council:

• Theravadin account of the First Council (Cullavagga)
• Mahisasaka account of the First Council
• Account of the First Council in the Mahavamsa

Modern descriptions:

• BuddhaNet The First Rehersal of Tipitaka, (Part Two) 32. The First Buddhist Council
• Buddhism in a Nutshell Archives 37. The First Council
• The Illustrated History of Buddhism 54. The First Buddhist Council
• Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism Pippali Cave
• The Monist The First Buddhist Council, by Teitaro Suzuki
• ZenEssays The Riddle of the First Buddhist Council - A Retrospection, by Biswadeb Mukherjee