The important role of Buddhist councils to preserve the Noble Doctrine
Unduwap which falls this week, is the third most important Poya next to Vesak and Poson as it signifies the arrival in Sri Lanka of Sanghamitta Theri who came carrying with her the Sacred Bo Sapling. The Bo Sapling represents the Buddha as it was under its Mother Tree in Gaya that the Buddha attained Supreme Buddhahood.
And her mission which included the setting up of the Bhikkuni Sasana, helped the establishment of the Buddhist Doctrine introduced by her brother Arahant Mahinda to take root while contributing towards the emancipation of Lankan women.
This year, the Unduwap Poya thus of great importance to the Buddhist devotees, falls a day prior to Christmas – a day of utmost significance to the Christians.
It was the Third Buddhist Council held by Emperor Asoka that resulted in the visits of Venerable Mahinda and Sanghamitta Theri whose missions changed the course of Lankan history.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe pledged at a Sangha Samuluwa before the General Elections to hold a Dhamma Sangayanaya. Could we expect effective changes to come about if the government facilitates the holding of such an event?
He said that the Mahanayake Theras of the main Chapters will lead in holding the event in order to preserve and propagate the Dhamma and resolve issues that endanger Buddhist Teachings.
The Prime Minister also stated that Sri Lanka would be made the centre of Theravada Buddhism in the Asian region and the globe and play a role in spreading the Doctrine as was done by Emperor Asoka.
Heartening news indeed for Lankan Buddhists who are compelled to watch displays of extreme Buddhist views not conducive to Buddhism or national interest.
Buddhist Councils have been held in the past when dissenting views threatened to distort or misinterpret the Doctrine. However, it was the Third Buddhist Council, held in Pataliputra – the then Capital of the Maurya Kingdom 218 years after the Buddha’s Demise which brought groundbreaking results.
It was presided over by Venerable Moggaliputta Tissa Maha Thera when monks indulging in practices contrary to the Doctrine were observed.
As the Council was held primarily to purify the Doctrine such monks were questioned. Those found guilty were expelled. In the absence of the written-tradition, the Tripitaka at this Council, following the oral-tradition was defined in its present form into the Vinaya, Dhamma Sutta and Abhidhamma.
Its Resolution to send emissaries to propagate the Dhamma had the greatest impact on Sri Lanka. However, according to research done by Klaus Karttunen of the Universityof Helsinki, eight emissaries were also sent -Majjhantika to Kasmira and Gandhara, Rakkhita to Vanavasa (present North Kanara where there were Greeks in Bactria and in the Kandahar area),Yona Dhammarakkhita to Aparanta, (present Gujarat,) Mahadhammarakkhita to Maharattha, Maharakkhita to Yona (which may have been the Indo-Greek Northwest) Majjhima to the Himalayan country and Sona and Uttara to Suuvannabhumi (perhaps Bengal) where the emissaries founded schools and propagated the Doctrine in varied ways.
The Buddhist Doctrine disappeared in most of these lands while in Sri Lanka it has lasted touching every aspect of life – morals, arts, education, architecture, literature et al. With the conversion of Lankan Kings, Buddhism became linked with Sri Lanka’s kingship – a link which sustained for over 2000 years till the dethroning of the last Lankan king in 1815 CE.
The first Buddhist Council was held three months following the Buddha’s demise. While the Buddha’s Parinirvana plunged his followers in deep sorrow, a monk named Subaddha, who had donned robes in his old age as he had no other means of livelihood, was found, hardly a week since the Parinirvana, to rejoice over His Passing Away.
He had asked other monks not to weep as His death freed them from observing strict rules. This caused the third Chief Disciple Venerable Maha Kassapa to summon a meeting.
Three months later, the Council was arranged by King Ajasattha in Rajagaha at the entrance to the Sattapani cave in order to preserve the Teachings. This accommodated 500 Arahants.
Venerable Ananda initially refused to attend the Council as he was yet a Sothapana Disciple. But as he had heard all Discourses of the Buddha, in order to participate, he concentrated and attained Arahanthood qualifying himself to sit with the rest of the Arahants and be part of the proceedings.
Venerable Upali was chosen to explain and answer queries made on the Vinaya- the rules for the monks and the nuns while Venerable Ananda recited the Discourses and answered queries on the Teachings.
What transpired at the Council was thus compiled as the Buddhist Scriptures known as the Pali AbhidhammaTripitaka which was verbally handed down from one generation of monks to the next. The monks memorized and taught the Doctrine in oral tradition while preserving and observing the rules of the Vinaya.
A 100-110 years following the Buddha’s demise, the second Council was held with 700 monks in Vesali. This was due to the emerging of the first major schism.
Many schools of Buddhist thoughts had developed by this time with queries made as to whether a monk could accept money? The issue was dismissed by many of the monks as well as many other developments that had emerged contrary to the Doctrine.
In Sri Lanka, the Doctrine, preserved in the form of Tripitaka by memory thus far, suffered as a result of political calamity with the country invaded by Southern Indian rulers in the initial years of King Vattagamini Abhaya (29-17BCE.)In addition, a famine, recorded as the worst in Lankan history, lasted for 12 years.
Many monks perished, monasteries of Anuradhapura were abandoned and some fled to India. However, as a result of the self-sacrificing efforts made by some faithful monks, the Tripitaka was preserved by memory.
With the famine over and with the return of political stability, the monks, realizing the fact that the Doctrine needs to be preserved, committed to writing the Tripitaka.
This was the first Buddhist Council held in Sri Lanka and the fourth since the Buddha’s Parinirvana which was held inAloka Vihara (Aluvihara).
According to E.W. Adikaram’s “Early History of Buddhism in Ceylon”, the formation of a new school of the Doctrine at the Abhayagiri, separate from the Mahavihara, plus the partiality of King Vattagamini Abhaya to this new school give evidence as to why monks decided to write the Texts at Aloka Vihara (Aluvihara) remote from Anuradhapura.
And the fact that it was an anonymous local chieftain who helped in the documentation which carried on for three years points out to the fact that the King was not favourably disposed towards these monks of the Mahavihara who were documenting the Tripitika.
Even five centuries after this fourth Buddhist Council, scholarly work had continued at Aluvihara. It was at Aluvihara that the erudite monk Buddhagosha from India, translated the Tripitaka into Pali.
The Buddhist clergy, down the ages, had faced numerous challenges against various odds. Let us hope that at a future Buddhist Council, effective measures will be taken to counter negative elements and feasible resolutions will be brought to preserve the Noble Doctrine.