Buddhist Councils were formal assemblies convened to compile, preserve, interpret, and standardise the teachings of the Buddha (Dhamma) and monastic discipline (Vinaya), especially after his Mahaparinirvana.
First Buddhist Council
- Period: c. 483 BCE (traditionally), soon after Buddha’s death
- Place: Rajagriha (Rajgir), Magadha
- Patron: King Ajatashatru
- President: Mahakassapa
- Key Participants:
- Ananda – recited the Sutta Pitaka (Buddha’s discourses)
- Upali – recited the Vinaya Pitaka (monastic rules)
Key Outcomes
- Oral compilation of:
- Sutta Pitaka
- Vinaya Pitaka
- Emphasis on maintaining doctrinal purity
- No schism; Sangha remained unified
Second Buddhist Council
- Period: c. 383 BCE (about 100 years after the first council)
- Place: Vaishali
- Patron: King Kalashoka
- President: Sabakami
Key Issue
- Dispute over Ten Points related to monastic discipline (e.g. use of money, storing food)
Key Outcomes
- Rejection of lax practices
- First major split in Buddhism:
- Sthaviravada (Theravada) – orthodox elders
- Mahasanghika – more liberal monks
Third Buddhist Council
- Period: c. 250 BCE
- Place: Pataliputra
- Patron: Emperor Ashoka
- President: Moggaliputta Tissa
Key Issues
- Entry of heretical and non-Buddhist elements into the Sangha
- Doctrinal confusion
Key Outcomes
- Purification of the Sangha
- Compilation of Abhidhamma Pitaka
- Composition of Kathavatthu (refutation of heretical doctrines)
- Missionaries sent to:
- Sri Lanka
- Central Asia
- West Asia
- Southeast Asia
- Firm establishment of Theravada Buddhism
Fourth Buddhist Council
Two traditions exist regarding this council.
Version 1 (Sri Lankan / Theravada Tradition)
- Period: c. 29–17 BCE
- Place: Alu Vihara, Sri Lanka
- Patron: King Vattagamani Abhaya
Outcome
- Tripitaka written down for the first time in Pali on palm leaves
- Preservation of teachings during famine and political instability
Version 2 (Kushan / Mahayana Tradition)
- Period: c. 1st–2nd century CE
- Place: Kundalvan, Kashmir
- Patron: King Kanishka
- President: Vasumitra (with Asvaghosha as an important scholar)
Outcome
- Systematisation of Mahayana Buddhism
- Commentaries written in Sanskrit
- Philosophical elaboration of Buddhist doctrines
| Council | Period | Place | Patron | President | Major Outcome |
| First | c. 483 BCE | Rajagriha | Ajatashatru | Mahakassapa | Compilation of Sutta & Vinaya |
| Second | c. 383 BCE | Vaishali | Kalashoka | Sabakami | First schism |
| Third | c. 250 BCE | Pataliputra | Ashoka | Moggaliputta Tissa | Abhidhamma, missionary expansion |
| Fourth (Theravada) | c. 29–17 BCE | Sri Lanka | Vattagamani | — | Tripitaka written |
| Fourth (Mahayana) | c. 1st–2nd CE | Kashmir | Kanishka | Vasumitra | Mahayana codification |
