The Significance of The First Buddhist Council
Introduction
What
we often call a ‘synod’ is a rendering of the Pāli and Sankrit saṃgīti or saṃgāyana,
meaning a ‘collective chanting or rehearsal’. This had the significant purpose
of reconciliation. When a certain problems occur, the Saṃgha members, or
the order of monks gather to make common decisions, finding resolutions.The first
Buddhist Council was held to draw up the canonical texts and the creed in their
pure form. It was took place immediately after three months of the Buddha’s
demise (Parinibbāna). The first Buddhist Council was held that Venerable
Mahākassapa presided over the assembly in which Venerable Upāli and Venerable Ānanda
took an important part. There was seldom dissension over doctrinal points, but
the synod was necessitated by the pious determination of the disciples of the
Lord to preserve the purity of his teaching. Furthermore many interesting
events are found in the first Buddhist synod such as Causes leading to the First Buddhist synod,
no chosen successor, objective, venue, time, The patronage of King Ajātasatthu,
Demoratic system at time of the
first Buddhist Council Dhamma and Vinaya, Proceeding
of the Council The Texts of the First Buddhist Council, Bhānakas, The
lesser and minor rules, Five Charges against Ānanda, The reason women did not have seat in the first Buddhist Synod, The highest penalty on The
monk named Channa, The venerable Purāna. Firstly Courses leading to the
first Buddhist Council will be discussed. In addition to sources of the first Buddhist Council which reveal the ways to deal with problems that occur among the people.
Causes
leading to the first Buddhist synod
The good disciples of the Buddha always
concern to maintain the doctrine. Now at that time the Nigantha, Nātha's son,
had just died at Pāvā. After his death the Niganthas became divided, falling
into opposite parties and into strife, disputes broke out and they went on
wounding each other with wordy weapons.
Even the lay disciples of the white robe, who followed Nāthaputta, showed
themselves shocked, repelled. Then the venerable Sariputta addressed the
brethren :
The Nigantha, Nathaputta, friends, has just died at Pāvā.
Since his death, the Niganthas have become divided and have fallen into
opposite parties and into strife. Disputes have broken out and they go on
wounding each other with wordy weapons and so badly has their doctrine and
discipline been set forth. But to us, friends, the Norm has been well set forth
and imparted by the Exalted One. It is effectual for guidance, conducive to
self-mastery, and is imparted by one perfectly enlightened. Herein there should
be a chanting by all in concord, not a wrangling, that thus this holy life may
persist and be long maintained. That may be for the welfare and happiness of
many folk, for compassion on the world, for the good, the welfare, the
happiness of devas and of men. At the time
the Buddha’s demise, Venerable Kassapa was travelling
along the road from Pâvâ to Kusinârâ with a great company of the
Bhikkhus, with about five hundred Bhikkhus.
They knew the Buddha’s demise because a certain naked
ascetic (âjîvaka) informed them it. Then, Sirs, of those of the Bhikkhus
who were not yet free from their passions, some stretched out their arms and
wept; and some fell headlong on the ground; and some reeled to and fro in
anguish at the thought: “Too soon has the Blessed One died! Too soon has the
Happy One passed away! Too soon has the Light gone out in the world!” ‘But those of the Bhikkhus who were
free from the passions (the Arahats) bore their grief, collected and
composed at the thought: "Impermanent are all component things. ‘Then at
that time one
Subhadda, who had gone out from the world in his old age, was seated there in
the company of Bhikkhus. And Subhadda, the late-received one, said to the Bhikkhus:
"Enough, Sirs! Weep not, neither lament! We are well rid of the great Samana.
We used to be annoyed by being told, 'This beseems you, and this beseems you
not.' But now we shall be able to do whatever we like; and what we do not like,
that we shall not have to do. Subhadda delighted and
rejoiced in the passing away of the Buddha.
This
was alarming to Venerable Maha Kassapa as:(a)
This comment was made within the monk community.
(b) The
body of the Buddha was still lying there and such a disrespectful comment could
be passed.
(c) Mahā
Kassapa had also witnessed the dispute and discord amongst the disciples of
Mahāvīra, the leader of Jains after he passed away before the Mahā parinibbana
of the Buddha.Mahā
Kassapa was concerned that false doctrine, i.e., Adhamma
and Avinaya would
be established soon after the mahāparinibbana of the Buddha should there be
confusion as to what Buddha had permitted and what was not.
No
chosen successor
Next
the reason of no chosen successor will be discussed. With respect to the
Buddha’s instruction to the monks, bhikkhus before his passing away, informing
them that is his doctrine, known as the Norm and the Law, shall be their lord
when his gone. This may give a better understanding and a firm foundation for
reasonable belief for the intellectuals who wish to know something of the
historical facts in addition to the Message itself.
Objective
Moreover
the objective of the first Buddhist council will be stated. Venerable Mahā Kassapa
said “Brother, let us recite the Dhamma and Vinaya before adhamma shines forth and Dharma is rejected, before avinaya
shines forth and vinaya is rejected, before those who advocate adhamma
become strong and those who advocate the Dhamma become weak, before those who
advocate avinaya become and those who advocate the Vinaya become weak. The First
council had to be held soon so that the true Dhamma and Vinaya could be chanted
and remembered. Next it is its venue to be mentioned.
Venue
The conferance which was held three months after the
Buddha's passing away is now known as the first Buddhist synod. It took place
in a cave called 'Sattapanni Cave' located at the food of the mountain Vebhāra
in Rājagaha.
Then its time will be revealed.
Time
This was convened three months after the
Buddha’s Mahāparinibbana in B.C. 480.
It was observed during the rainy retreat. It lasted for 7 months
The
patronage of King Ajātasatthu
A gain it is it’s the patronage. King Ajātasatthu
was informed of the intention of the order of Monks and he made all necessary
arrangements for the monks to meet at the entrance of the Sattapāni Cave in Rājagaha.
After that, le’s how they selected the participants.
Democratic system at time of the first Buddhist synod
Then
the venerable Mahâ Kassapa chose out five hundred Arahats less one. And the
Bhikkhus said to the venerable Mahâ Kassapa: 'Lord, this venerable one, Ânanda,
although he have not yet attained [to Nirvâna], yet is he incapable of
falling into error through partiality, or malice, or stupidity, or fear, and
thoroughly have the Dhamma and the Vinaya been learnt by him from the Blessed
One himself. Therefore let our Lord choose the venerable Ânanda. And the
venerable Mahâ Kassapa chose also the venerable Ânanda.'
Therefore the participants in the
council chose the venerable Ânanda according to democratic system. There were 500 seats arranged in the Sattapanni Cave, and
the
participants were
499 arahants who were selected to participate in the meeting. The remained seat
was reserved for the Ven. Ānanda (the one who heard the Dhamma well),
who was still stream-enterer on
his “way“ to Arahantship. It
is said, that due to his great efforts, the Ven. Ananda realized Arahantship on
the same day as the first Buddhist synod was held.
The Ven. Mahā Kassapa was the Chairman of the synod. Ven.
Upāli was chosen to answer questions about the Vinaya, and Ven. Ānanda
was chosen to answer the questions related to the Dhamma.
Dhamma and Vinaya
Furthermore Dhamma and Vinaya will be explained. It is
generally beleived that the Master’s lifetime there was no systematic
classification of the Doctrine as is known in the present. Like a variety of
scattered flowers blooming here and there in the garden, the teaching of the
Master must have been maintained orally and individually. These instructions
and admonitions given by the Master were systematically arranged, like the
arranging of the flowers in a vast, by wise and holy disciples after the
Master’s passing away. At
the time of the first Buddhist synod the teaching of the Buddha was known as Dhamma-vinaya.
The term 'pitaka' is not available in the pañcasatikkhandhaka of Culavagga
report. Dhamma relates to the
doctrinal teaching, and Vinaya relates to the discipline. Next its
proceeding will be defined.
Proceeding
of the Council
The
procedure followed at the synod was a simple one. With the permission of the
assembled Saṃgha, the venerable Mahākassapa asked questions of the Vinaya of the
venerable Upāli. All these questions related to the four Pārājikas,
1.
Subject.
2.
Occasion
3.
Individual concerned
4.
The principal rule concerned
5.
The amended rule
6.
Who would be guilty
7.
Who would be innocent
In
this way the Vinaya text was agreed upon at the Council.The
turn of Ānanda came next. The subject matter of the Sutta-piṭaka, in all the
five Nikāyas, was formulated as questions for Ānanda who gave appropriate answers. 1.
Person or persons who were given the sermon.
2.
Venue of the sermon.
All suttas
in Sutta Piṭaka would start with, “Evaṃ me sutaṃ – thus have I heard….”
Venerable
Mahâ Kassapa laid a resolution before the
Saṃgha:
‘Let the venerable
Saṃgha hear me. If the time seems meet to the
Saṃgha,
I would question Ānanda concerning the Dhamma.’
And
the venerable Ānanda laid a resolution before the Saṃgha: ‘Let the
venerable Saṃgha hear me. If the time seems meet to the Saṃgha,
I, as questioned by the venerable Mahâ Kassapa, will give reply.’
And
the venerable Mahâ Kassapa said to the venerable Ānanda: 'Where, venerable Ānanda,
was the Brahmagâla spoken?'
‘On
the way, Sir, between
Râgagaha and
Nalanda, at the royal
rest-house at
Ambalatthikâ.’
‘Concerning
whom was it spoken?’
'Suppiya,
the wandering ascetic, and Brahmadatta,
the young Brâhman.'
Thus
did the venerable Mahâ Kassapa question
the
venerable Ânanda as to the occasion of the Brahma
gâla, and as to the
individuals concerning whom it was spoken.
The answers replied by
venerable Ânanda settled the corpus of the sutta-piṭka. After that, the texts
of the first Buddhist will be revealed.
The
Texts of the first Buddhist synod
Vinaya Pitaka comprises the
following
- Parajika
Pali Major
Offences
- Pacittiya
Pali Minor
Offences
- Mahavagga
Pali Greater
Section
- Cullavagga
Pali Lesser
Section
- Parivāra
Pali Summary
and Classification of Vinaya
Sutta Pitaka comprises of the following 5
Nikayas (collections) Dīgha
Nikaya Collection
of Long discourses 34 discourses
Majjhima
Nikāya Collection
of Middle length discourses 152 discourses
Saṃyutta
Nikāya Collection of
Related discourses 7,762 discourses Aṅguttara
Nikāya Collection of
Numerical discourses 9,557 discourses Khuddaka
Nikāya Minor Collection Khuddaka
Nikāya is divided into fifteen books
- Khuddaka
Patha Minor
Readings
- Dhammapada Path
of Truth
- Udāna Paeans
of Joy
- Itivuttaka “Thus
Said” Discourses
- Sutta
Nipāta Collected
Discourses
- Vimāna
Vatthu Stories
of Celestial Mansions
- Peta
Vatthu Stories
of Petas
- Theragāthā Verses
of elder monks
- Therigāthā Verses
of elder nun
- Jātaka Birth
stories of the Bodhisatta
- Niddesa Expositions
- Patisaṃbhida Book
on Analytical Knowledge
- Apādāna Lives
of Arahants
- Buddhavamsa Lineage
of the Buddha
- Cariya
Pitaka Modes
of Conduct
Bhānakas
Then
the people, Bhanakas who carried out the business or activities of
learning will mentioned. Bhanakas are speakers who recite the teachings
and are responsible for the spread of the teachings. It was said that the Bhanakas
for Digha
Nikaya - Ānanda & disciples
Majjhima
Nikāya - Sariputta’s disciples
Samyutta
Nikāya - Mahā Kassapa & disciples
Aṅguttara Nikāya - Anuruddha
& disciples
The lesser and minor rules
Now the controversy of the lesser and minor rules will be described.
the venerable Ānanda said this to the elder bhikkhus, ‘Venerable, Sirs,
the Blessed One, at the time of entering into parinibbāna, said to me, Ānanda,
after my passing away, the Saṃgha may abrogate the lesser and minor
rules of training, if the Saṃgha wishes” ‘Brother Āanda, did you ask the
Blessed One, what are the lesser and minor rules of training? ‘Venerable sirs, I did not ask the Blessed
One, “what are the lesser and minor rules of training?” Then (a)
some elders said thus, ‘Except for the 4 defeats, the rest are the lesser and
minor rules of training. (b) Some elders said thus, ‘Except for the 4 defeats,
the 13rules concerning a Formal Meeting of the Saṃgha, the rest are the
lesser and minor rules of training.(c) Some elder said “except the 4 defeats, the 13 rules
concerning a Formal Meeting of the Saṃgha, the 2 Indeterminates and 30 rules
concerning involving Forfeiture, the rest are the lesser and minor rules of
training.
(d) Some elder said “except the 4 defeats, the 13 rules
concerning a Formal Meeting of the Saṃgha, the 2 Indeterminates , 30 rules
concerning involving Forfeiture and 92
rules Expiation, the rest are the lesser and minor rules of training.
(e) Some elder said “except the 4 defeats, the 13 rules
concerning a Formal Meeting of the Saṃgha, the 2 Indeterminates , 30 rules
concerning involving Forfeiture, 92
rules Expiation, the rest are the lesser and minor rules of training.
(f) Some elder said “except the 4 defeats, the 13 rules
concerning a Formal Meeting of the Saṃgha, the 2 Indeterminates , 30 rules concerning
involving Forfeiture, 92 rules Expiation
and the 4 confessions, the rest are the lesser and minor rules of training.
Then
the Venerable Mahā Kassapa imformed the
Saṃgha, Brothers, let the
Saṃgha listen to me. We have rules of
training that are gone to the householders. Even the householders know them
what are allowable or not. If we were to abrogate the lesser and minor rules of
training, there would be critics, now the disciples of the Buddha do not
discipline themselves in the rules of training. Then they all agreed what the
venerable Mahā Kassapa said.
Next what are 5 charges
against
Ānanda
will be stated.
Five
Charges against venerable Ānanda
After the council the monks raised five points against
Ananda:1) why did he miss to ask the Buddha about the lesser
rules?2) why did he step on the clothes of the Buddha?3) why did he allow women to see the body of the Buddha
first?4 why did he not
invite the Buddha to live long?5 why did he encourage
the higher ordination for woman?Then the venerable Ānanda responded the monastic orders:1)
he could not formulate the lesser and minor rules, as he was overwhelmed
with grief at the imminent death of the Buddha.2)
he had to tread upon the garment of the
Buddha while sewing it as there was no one to help him.
3)
he permitted women to
salute first the body of the Buddha, because he did not want to detain them. He
also did this for their editications.
4)
he was under the
influence of the evil one when he forgot to request the Buddha to enable him to
continue his study for a kalpa( a life-span).
5)
he has to plead for
admission of women into the Order out consideration for Mahāpajāpati gotamī who
nursed the Buddha in his infancy.
Even though he thought he
did see as his wrongdoings, he confessed
due to his faith in the venerable ones.
The reason nuns did not have seat in the first
Buddhist Council
Furthermore
the causes why nuns did not participate in the first Buddhist Council will
reflected.
Very
many suttas are concern with women about whom the Buddhist monks have just as
little good to say as the priests and holy man of other religion. Only Ānanda
was always a zealous advocate of the women. Why did he encourage the higher ordination for woman? He was
called to explained at the Council of Rājagaha. Once Ānanda asked the lord
like a mordon supporter of women’s emancipation:
‘‘What is the
reason, Revered One, What is the cause, that women have no seat in a public
meeting, transanct no business and do no earn their their livelihood by
following an (independent) occupation?( Buddha replies therupon): Ānanda, women
are subject to
sudden spurts of anger, jealous, encious,and stupid. This is the cause why women have no seat in a
public meeting, transanct no business and do no earn their their livelihood by
following an (independent) occupation. That is why women did not participate in
the first Buddhist Buddhist council, second Buddhist council etc. But when a woman become an Arahant finally, she destroy all
defilements and attain Nibbāna, the highest happiness.
The
highest penality on The monk named
Channa
Another important point at the
First Council was the passing of the highest penality on the monk Channa, who
was the charioteer of the Master on the day of his renunciation, and was
arrogant in the extreme. The penalty was complete social boycott. When the penalty was announced
to Channa, he was full of repentance and
grief, but through seeing and knowing his faults he was finally able to attain
Arahantship.
Next it is about the venerable Purāna.
The venerable Purāna
The chanting
of Dhamma and Vinaya by the Five Hundred was not completely accepted by all
monks because the venerable Purāna rejected to submit and learn the texts. On
other hands, he might not want to spend
his times to submit and learn the texts because the nature of Arahants are not so active on learning
the teaching as the Buddha did his missions and the they are the nature of equanimity
(Upekkhā) that let them be naturally.
At
that time the venerable Purāna was wandering
through the Southern Hills with a great company of Bhikkhus, with five hundred
Bhikkhus. And when the Thera Bhikkhus had completed the chanting over together
of the Dhamma and the Vinaya, he, having stayed in the Southern Hills as long
as he thought fit, went on to Râgagaha to the Veluvana, to the Kalandaka
Nivâpa, where the Thera Bhikkhus were, and having greeted the Thera
Bhikkhus, he took his seat on one side. When he was so seated, the Thera
Bhikkhus said to him:
‘The
Dhamma and the Vinaya, friend Purāna, have
been chanted over together by the Thera Bhikkhus. Do thou, then, submit thyself
to and learn the text so rehearsed by them 'The
Dhamma and the Vinaya, Sirs, have been well sung by the Theras. Nevertheless,
even in such manner as it has been heard by me, and received by me from the
very mouth of the Blessed One, in that manner will I bear it in my memory.’
Conclusion
The venerable Mahā Kassapa never
neglected the dispensation of the Buddha. When he saw a small adversary, he
immediately protected it and concerned it like a little bit fire can burn the
whole dried forest. We understand how the Dhamma, the teaching of the Buddha
are important. Without understanding and
realizing it, we cannot enlighten the four noble truths and cannot liberate
from saṃsara, the cycle of existence. The Dhamma can represent the Buddha after
his demise. That was the Buddha did not select his successor.
When
Buddhism benefits people, the people also patronize Buddhism. According to
Sāññaphala sutta of Dīghanikāya, king ajātasatthu could not sleep well due to
the evil of his patricide. When he apologized it to the Buddha, he could sleep
well therefore he had great faith in Buddhism and patronized the Buddha’s
dispensation.In controversial situation, the venerable Mahā Kassapa had to
listen to the voice of the Saṃgha Members, he did not choose the
venerable Ānanda by himself to participate in the first Buddhist Council. This
is called Democracy in Buddhist scripture. There are another sources of
Democracy like a history of Licchavī Country,
Aggañña Sutta, the 27th Sutta of Digha Nikaya and so on.The First Buddhist Council brought about good results:1. The
settlement of the Vinaya under the leadership of Upali.
2. The
settlement of the texts of the Dhamma under the leadership of Ananda.
3. The
trial of Ananda where all minor and lesser rules were retained.
4. The
punishment of Channa, which spurred him on to Arahantship.5. These instructions and admonitions given by the Master
were systematically arranged, like the arranging of the flowers in a vast, by
wis and holy disciples.6. Each
lineage of monks carried out the responsibility to maintain the Dhamma.
7. Setting
good examples to be united, maintain, protect, and purify Buddhism in the
future.
When the members of the Saṃgha need, we should satisfy
and apologize them so as to be united and peaceful among the community as if the venerable Ānanda confessed what wrongdoing
at the fist Buddhist Council. He
carried out great benefits of Buddha’s dispensation. Therefore we learnt many interesting
things and events at the first Buddhist Council.
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Anuruddha Thera,
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Buddhist
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Kākkāpalliye Anuruddha Thera. The
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