CHAPTER 4

THE RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY THERA MAHA

KASSAPA FOR THE DISPENSATION OF BUDDHISM
On the full-moon day of Vesakha (Kason) in 148 Maha Era, Tuesday, the
Buddha passed away
1
in the Sal-tree arden of the Malla prin!es in Kusinara
2
" #t that
time, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa with a lare !ompany of fi&e hundred mon's was
on his way from Pava to Kusinara to pay respe!ts to the Buddha" On the way, it %ein
a hot afternoon, they too' shelter under a %i tree %y the roadside" (hen they were
thus restin, an Ajhivaka on his return from Kusinara to Pava !han!ed to meet them"
)e was holdin a !elestial mandharava-flower
*
whi!h he had pi!'ed up amon those
rained from hea&ens on the Buddha+s ,assin-away" Seein the flower, the $enera%le
Maha Kassapa 'new that the Buddha had passed away, %ut in order for other mon's
to 'now it, he as'ed the Ajhivaka, -.o you 'now, friend, anythin of our /ord
Buddha01 The Ajhivaka replied to him that the Buddha had passed away se&en days
%efore and that he had 2ust pi!'ed the !elestial flower from )is ,assin-away" On
learnin the news of the Buddha+s ,assin-away, some mon's, who had not ridden
themsel&es of atta!hment, wept and !ried a lot" The other mon's, who had freed
themsel&es from atta!hment, remem%ered with patien!e the law that 3all !onditioned
1
4o%le .emise" The time when the Buddha too' the 4o%le .emise, a!!ordin to 5yanmar !hroni!le
re!ords, was the 6ull 5oon of Kason, 148 5aha Era" 7inatthapa'asani %y Kyee-thei-lay-htat
Sayadawyi, 8"#". ,ress, 9anon, 1::;, ,"<=>" ?t is stated in the Thone-lu-shinpin-paya-shit'ho-
lin'ar %y the /edi Sayadawyi thus@ the year 148, the pla!e in Sal Aro&e, Kusinaara of 5alla, the date
Tuesday, the 6ull 5oon of Kason" /edi Sayadawyi+s Aam%ira Ka%yar Kyan, 5yatsumon Sarpay,
9anon, >==4, ,">" #!!ordin to 5yanmar astroloi!al s!holars, the 6ull 5oon of Kason, 148 5aha
Era fell on 1*
th
5ay, <44 BB" .r" Bo /ay+s Buddha 7atadawhnit-phyitsin-letthwei-thutaythana-'yan,
.r" Bo /ay Sarpay, 9anon, 1:8:, ,"11" There are different a!!ounts of the Buddha+s horos!opial
e&ents !on!ernin the 4o%le .emise of the Buddha as <44 BB, <4* BB, 48; BB, 48C BB, 48* BB, et!"
$"#"Smith+s Early )istory of ?ndia, Blarendon ,ress, ODford, 1:>4, ,"4:" Sri /an'an s!holars %elie&e,
with referen!e to the 5aha&amsa, the .ipa&amsa, et!", that the year the Buddha too' the 4o%le .emise
is 48* BB, the time ,rin!e $i2aya landed on the island of Beylon" E"("#di'aram+s Early )istory of
Buddhism in Beylon, 5"."Aunasena and Bo"/td, Bolom%o, 1:<*, ,"4*, DD&iii" Ehereafter, #di'aram
(1:<*)F Bam%odia, /aos and Thailand !laim it to %e <44 BB, %ut the 5ahayanists and modern s!holars
a!!ept 48C BB and 48* BB respe!ti&ely" T"O"/in+s .i!tionary of Buddhism, Bharles S!ri%ner+s Sons,
4ew 9or', 1:;>, ,"4<"
>
6rom this ,ali word Kusinara !omes the 5yanmar loan-word Kusinarone" (.4"#"??"1C4G ."??"1>>) ?t
is now the area *4 miles away from eastern part of Aora'hpur, Httara ,radesh" 5itra+s Buddhist
5onuments, Sahitya Samad, Bal!utta, 1:;1, ,"C: Ehereafter, 5itra (1:;1)F and .er2+s Aeoraphi!al
.i!tionary of #n!ient and 5edie&al ?ndia, Orient 8eprint, 4ew .elhi, 1:;1, ,"111"
*
5andara&a is rendered as 3)tin-shar-flower+ in the Bula&aa ,ali 4issaya Translation of the Se!ond
San'yaun Sayadawyi H Sudassana (#. 181<-188<)" San'yaun Sayadaw+s Bula&aa-,ali-
4issaya-thit, $ol"??, ,adetha ,ita'a Shop, 5andalay, 1*<4 5E, ,">44" ?t is the !oral tree (Erythrina)"
.,TS (1:<:), ,"<>*" ?t is said that the flower !an flourish only in !elestial a%odes %ut when spe!ial
e&ents o!!ur, it may appear also in the human world" ?"B")orner (tr"), The Boo' of the .is!ipline,
$ol"$, /uIa! J Bo"/td, /ondon, 1:<>, ,"*:*"
1
and !ompounded thins are of impermanent nature and it is no use lonin for the
permanen!e of these thins+"
1

4:1 The Rude Remar !" Su##haddha $he O%d M!&
On seein the !ryin of the mon's who were 2ust worldlins, Subbhadda, an
nati&e of Atuma who had entered the Order only in his old ae
>
and who was amon
the fi&e hundred mon's, addressed the mon's and said impolitely and 2oyfully,
-Enouh, friendsK .o not rie&e, do not lamentK (e are well rid of that Areat #s!eti!
of the Gotama !lan" Too lon, friends, ha&e we !onstantly %een oppressed %y )is
sayin@ LThis is fittin for youG that is not fittin for you"L 4ow we shall %e a%le to do
as we li'e, and what we do not li'e, we shall not do"1
Subhadda made this rude remar' %e!ause he had %orne a rude aainst /ord
Buddha" On!e, the Buddha went to Atuma &illae from Kusinara with a lare
!ompany of 1><= mon's" ?t was in Atuma that old Subbaddha, who had made his
li&in as a %ar%er, was li&in as a %hi''hu" Su%%addha heard the news of the
Buddha+s &isit to his town and, intendin to offer a reat alms-food feast, as'ed his
two sons, who were also youn no&i!es, to o to e&ery house and !arryin their
%ar%er+s tools to do hair-!uttin, !olle!t the a&aila%le pro&isions su!h as ri!e, oil, salt
and other eata%les M in %as and &essels, and prepare alms-food to offer to the Buddha
and the mon's" Subhadda+s sons ot the pro&isions and o%eyed his words %y e&ery
letter"
*
(hen the Buddha arri&ed in Atuma, )e de!ided to reside at the Straw-
that!hed 5onastery near the &illae ate"
4
Subhadda the old mon' went to the &illae
ate on the same e&enin and, with the help of &illaers, prepared ri!e ruel to offer to
1
.4"??"1**, .4"#"??"1:1-1:>
>
The term 3Vuddhapabbajjita+ is mentioned in the Bhesa22a''handha'a of the 5aha&aa, $inaya
,ita'aG %ut the term is also mentioned in the 5ahaparini%%ana Sutta of the 5aha&aa, .ihani'aya,
Suttanta ,ita'a, .4"??"1**" ?n %oth pla!es, the term denotes one who is fully ordained when old" ?n
5yanmar lanuae, he is !alled 3Tawhtwet+ M a person who has entered mon'hood late in life (after
ettin married)" 5yanmar-Enlish .i!tionary, 5yanmar /anuae Bommission, 9anon, 1::*,
,"1;=" ?n 4orthern Buddhist TeDts that Su%hadda is des!ri%ed as 3Su%hananda+ or 35ahalla'a+ or
3Su%hadra 5ahalla'a+" .r" 8"B" 5a2umdar+s Buddhist Boun!ils in Buddhisti! Studies, Tha!'er, Spin'
and Bo"/td, Bal!utta, 1:*1, ,"*= Ehereafter, 5a2umdar (1:*1)F" .,,4 (&ol"??, ,"1>*1) wronly says
that Su%hdda was a Samanera while the Buddha was tourin in #tuma" )"Olden%er also wronly
stated, in his introdu!tion to the Bula&aa ,ali of the $inaya ,ita'a (,TS), that Su%hadda was the
same as the last dis!iple Su%hadda" Olden%er (ed"), $inaya ,ita'am, )umphrey 5ilford, /ondon,
1:>:, ,"DD&i"
*
$in"???"*4;
4
$in"???"*48
>
the Buddha the neDt mornin"
1
But the Buddha inNuired Subhadda, -?n what way did
you et this ruel01, and Subhadda had to suppli!ate the truth" The Buddha
reprimanded him %e!ause he had souht for food in the way whi!h was unsuita%le for
mon's" The Buddha also laid down the followin Vinaya rules@
1" #ny bhikkhu who ta'es upon himself improper a!ti&ity for
bhikkhuhood shall %e lia%le to dukkata offen!e (akappiyasamadana), and
>" #ny bhikkhu who, ha&in %een a %ar%er on!e in his life, 'eeps up the
outfit of a %ar%er shall %e lia%le to dukkata offen!e (khurabhandapariharana)"
The Buddha then pre&ented all )is %hi''hus from a!!eptin Subhadda+s ri!e
ruel"
Subhadda the old mon' was reatly disappointed and %ore a rude aainst
the Buddha with the wron thouht that the Buddha had ruined him and was
antaonisti! to him"
This was the reason why Subhadda 2oyfully said the horrendous words at the
time he heard the news of /ord Buddha+s funeral"
>
This story of Subhadda the old
mon' was Nuite interestin" 6rom his point of &iew, the fa!t that his ri!e ruel he had
prepared for the Buddha and the %hi''hus was totally spoilt and that he was
reprimanded miht %e more than enouh to produ!e a misunderstandin in a
worldlin+s mind" ?t miht %e his misunderstandin that had led him to happily
announ!e his rude remar' at the demise of the Buddha"
4:' The Ser(!u) C!&*er& !" Thera Maha Kassapa a#!u$ $he Fu$ure !" $he
Buddha+) Tea*h(&,
(hen Thera Maha Kassapa heard the rude !omment of Subhadda upon the
Buddha+s .emise, he was tou!hed to the Nui!' as if his heart were dealt with a %low
or as if he was stru!' a thunder on the head" )e thouht so seriously o&er the !ase, -?t
is now hardly a wee' sin!e the Buddha has passed away" The Buddha+s olden-hued
%ody still eDists in this world" But how Nui!'ly su!h a wret!h as the old Subhaddaha
has appearedK ?f su!h a wret!h were to %e left un!he!'ed and !ould form a roup of
the same %ent in the Buddha+s Tea!hin, they would surely %e o%sta!les for the
dispensation of the Tea!hin and !auses for its destru!tion"1
*

1
.4"#"??">:>, Sarattha"?">:
>
.4"#"??"1:*, Sarattha"?"*=-*>, .4"T(new)"4=-41, .4"??"1**
*
.4"??"1**, .4"#"??"1:1-1:*, Sarattha"?"*1, .4"T(new)"4>-4*
*
4:- Thera Maha Kassapa+) Th!u,h$ !" C!&.e&(&, $he Buddh()$ C!u&*(%
#fter ha&in su!h a serious !on!ern a%out the future of the Buddha+s
Tea!hin, Thera Maha Kassapa was stru!' %y the followin idea"
-?f ? were to eDpel on the spot this old mon' Su%hadda, a later entrant into the
Order, deridin him and !hanin his ro%es into men+s sarons, people with neati&e
&iews would say, 3E&en when the remains of Aotama Buddha are still in eDisten!e,
)is dis!iples are already in disharmony and Nuarrels with ea!h other"+ So ? must hold
my patien!e now"
#t this time, when the Buddha has re!ently passed away, )is do!trines are left
s!attered li'e a %i heap of flowers not strun up into arlands" 7ust as a loose heap of
flowers !ould &ery well %e %lown away in all dire!tions %y winds, so also )is
pres!ri%ed rules in the Vinaya Pitaka !ould disappear one %y one" The same thin
!ould also happen to the Suttanta and Abhidhamma Pitakas"
The uardian spirit of a tree !an dwell in the stem of his tree when the
%ran!hes of that tree ot !uttin-off" ?f the stem of the tree is destroyed, he !an still
dwell amon the roots" But if the roots are destroyed, then the uardian spirit will %e
rendered homeless and helpless" ?n the li'e manner, we would %e rendered homeless
and helpless if the Buddha+s do!trines in the three Pitakas disappeared" Therefore, we
must !on&ene a !oun!il of bhikkhus to re!ite and appro&e the Buddha+s do!trines of
the three Pitakas toether" By doin so, we !ould put the Tea!hin in order so that it
would %e a%le to withstand assault 2ust in the same as the flowers strun up into
arlands would %e a%le to withstand winds"
The Buddha had tra&elled three gavuttas to wel!ome and ordain me when ?
de!ided to renoun!e the world" )e had admitted me into the Order in three homilies"
)e eD!haned )is ro%es for my ro%es" (hen )e dis!oursed on the 4o%le ,ra!ti!e
with the para%les of the moon, )e made referen!es to me %y way of eDample" )e
eDtolled me %y puttin me on the same ran' as )im n the respe!ts of #%sorptions and
tea!hin the bhikkhus" 6or three times, )e showed )is intention of lea&in the
!ustodianship of )is Tea!hin to me" So lon as a true son of the Buddha as me is
ali&e, su!h a wi!'ed man as Subhadda should not %e allowed to row in his influen!e
in this Tea!hin" Before depra&ity !an et a footin, %efore depra&ity !an mar the true
/aw, %efore newfanled rules !an ain round, %efore spurious reulations !an
o%stru!t the Vinaya, %efore mis!reants !an hold sway, %efore the upholders of
rihteousness are on the way to wane, %efore those upholders of unrihteousness
4
%e!ome a stron for!e, ? shall see to it that a !oun!il is !on&ened to re!ite and
unanimously appro&e the .o!trines"
1
?f su!h a !oun!il is !on&ened, bhikkhus will learn the Tea!hin as mu!h as
they are !apa%le of, and dis!uss the Vinaya on the matters of properness or
improperness" Then, this wi!'ed Subhadda will %e duly !hastised and will ne&er %e
a%le to show his fa!e up aain" #nd a%o&e all, the Buddha+s Tea!hin will prosper"1
These thouhts !ontinually o!!urred to Thera Maha Kassapa as to the
!on&enin of the Buddhist Boun!il"
>

#lthouh these thouhts o!!urred to the $enera%le Thera Maha Kassapa, he
did not !onfide his plan to any bhikkhu or any other person, %e!ause he did not thin' it
the riht time to do so" )e simply !onsoled the mournin !rowd of bhikkhus %y the
followin tea!hin@
-Enouh, friend bhikkhus, do not rie&e or weep any more" .id not the
Buddha tea!h you that it is in the &ery nature of thins that they part with us either
while we are li&in or when death di&ides us or when we are to o to different planes
of eDisten!e0 6riends, all the !onditioned thins that ha&e arisen ha&e the nature of
de!ay or death" There is no reason at all if we hoped for the perpetual eDisten!e of the
Buddha+s areates either"1
Then, Thera Maha Kassapa !ontinued his 2ourney to Kusinara toether with
the fi&e hundred bhikkhus"
*
4:4 H!/ Thera Maha Kassapa /a) He%d (& H(,h E)$eem #0 $he Devas
(hile Thera Maha Kassapa was on the way to Kusinara, all de&i!es were
employed, in &ain, to inite the funeral pyre of the Buddha M a pyre of s!ented woods
whi!h was a hundred and twenty !u%it hih" The reason for the Buddha+s funeral pyre
not !at!hin fire was i&en as follows"
#mon the devas, the devas who had parti!ular de&otion to the $eneral Maha
Kassapa saw with their di&ine eyes that Thera Maha Kassapa with a !ompany of fi&e
hundred bhikkhus was still on the way from Pava to Kusinara" So they made their
wish, -5ay this funeral pyre %e not inita%le until our $enera%le Thera Maha
Kassapa+s arri&al on the s!ene1" ?t was due to their ardent wish that no effort !ould
inite the funeral pyre of the Buddha"
1
$in"?$"*C;-*;>, $in"#"?$"114
>
$in"?$"481-48>, .4"#"?"4-<, .4"#"??"1:*, .4"T"??"18:, Bhroni!les of the Buddha (trans")"$"**8
*
.4"??"1*4, .4"#"??"1:4
<
(hen the Malla prin!es inNuired Thera Maha Anuruddha a%out the futility of
efforts to inite the pyre, the latter eDplained the reason to them" Then the prin!es said
to the thera, -The $enera%le Sir, let the wish of the devas who ha&e spe!ial de&otion
to Thera Maha Kassapa pre&ail1" )earin that news, all the people loo'ed forward to
the arri&al of Thera Maha Kassapa with mu!h eD!itement"
1
4:1 The S!%em& 2()h made #0 Thera Maha Kassapa
(hen Thera Maha Kassapa arri&ed in Kusinara, he made his way to the pyre
of frarant woods on whi!h the Buddha+s %ody was lyin" (earin the folded ro%e on
his left shoulder, with 2oined palms raised to his forehead, he wal'ed around the
funeral pyre for three times, 'eepin it on his riht" Then standin at the end of the
pyre where the Buddha+s feet lay, he made the solemn wish for the Buddha+s feet to
lie on his head"
>

The moment the solemn wish was made, the Buddha+s %are feet !ut open the
fi&e hundred layers of !loth wrappins" The $enera%le Thera Maha Kassapa pla!ed
the pair of feet on his head and paid homae in a most tou!hin manner"
*
(itnessin
this mira!ulous s!ene, the people wept and paid homae to the Buddha in the li'ewise
tou!hin manner" The fi&e hundred mon's who had a!!ompanied Thera Maha
Kassapa also wore folded ro%e on one shoulder and with their 2oined palms raised to
their forehead, wal'ed around the pyre 'eepin it on their riht for three times, and
paid homae at the feet of the Buddha" #fter Thera Maha Kassapa and his fi&e
hundred dis!iples had paid homae, the Buddha+s feet returned to their former pla!e"
Then, the funeral pyre of s!ented wood started %urnin %y itself without human effort"
This is what is !alled the !om%ustion %y the Tejo, Element of )eat, of the Buddha+s
%ody" Out of the fi&e hundred !loth wrappins o&er the Buddha+s %ody, only the
innermost and outermost ones remained inta!t, that is, not tou!hed %y the %urnin
fire"
4
6rom the s'y rained !olumns of water and from the %ran!hes of the Sal trees
around spran up fountains of water to Nuell the fire of the pyre" The Malla prin!es
also sprin'led s!ented water on the pyre"
Then, the Malla prin!es %rouht the Buddha+s reli!s, with reat pomp and
!eremony, to their !oun!il hall in downtown Kusinara" There, they pla!ed the reli!s
1
.4"??"1*4, .4"#"??"1:4
>
.4"??"1*4
*
.4"#"??"1:<
4
.4"#"??"1:<-1:C
C
well and stationed se!urity uards" The funeral !ele%rations, with dan!in, sinin
and offerins of flowers and frarant perfumes, were held for se&en days" The
Buddha+s reli!s were then di&ided and ea!h share was distri%uted %y ona the
Brahmin to Kin Ajatasatthu of Magadha, the !a""havi prin!es of Vesali, the Sakyan
prin!es of Kapilavatthu, the Kabuli prin!es of Allakappa, the Koliya prin!es of #ama
&illae, the Brahmins of Vetthadipa and the Malla prin!es of Pava and Kusinara
respe!ti&ely" The Mauriya prin!es of Pippali forest !ame last to !laim their share of
the Buddha+s reli!s, %ut sin!e there was no share of the reli!s remainin at their
arri&al, they had to satisfy themsel&es with the !harred pie!es of firewood from the
site of !remation" Then the said !laimants for the Buddha+s reli!s %uilt a stupa ea!h
and enshrined their share in re&eren!e"
1

4:3 The S*h!%ar)+ C!mme&$) u4!& $he F(r)$ Buddh()$ C!u&*(%
8eferrin to the $ulavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka,
>
some s!holars %elie&e that
Subhadda+s irre&erent remar' !aused the 6irst Buddhist Boun!il to %e !on&ened" So
this irre&erent remar' may %e the main reason for the !on&ention of the Boun!il" But
we often noti!e other s!holars !laim that there must %e some more reasons for holdin
the Synod"
*
The Bommentary to the Parajikakanda of the Vinaya Pitaka, whi!h was
written after the ipavamsa, indi!ated that there were two reasons for the !on&ention
of the Synod" 6irst, as mentioned in the $ulavagga, Subhadda+s rude remar' filled the
$enera%le Thera Maha Kassapa with alarm for the future safety and purity of the
Tea!hin" The se!ond reason may ha&e %een asso!iated with the Buddha+s arment
whi!h was re!ei&ed %y Thera Maha Kassapa" 6or it is &ery possi%le that the thera
re!ei&ed the arment of the 5aster as a to'en of authority eNual to that of the 5aster
and was determined to fulfill the 5aster+s !ommand to esta%lish the )oly Truth %y
!on&enin the Boun!il"
4
But the fourth se!tion (&erse >4) of the ipavamsa did not mention that
Subhadda+s rude remar' was the reason for !on&enin the Synod %ut that the lon
sur&i&al of Buddhism was the promptin fa!tor" The Bommentaries to the
1
.4"??"1*4-1*8
>
.4"??"1**, $in"?$(trans")"48>, ?"B")orner (tr") Vinaya Pitaka" (1:<>) ,"*:*
*
#un )tut (1:C;) ,"1C>
4
$in"#"?"<, S"?"418, #"??"1:*
;
Parajikakanda and the Khuddakapatha mentioned %oth the two reasons des!ri%ed
a%o&e
1
and they were supported %y the third se!tion (&erse ;) of the Mahavamsa"
# western s!holar Olden%er did not a!!ept the &alidity of the Bommentary to
the Parajikakanda and the $ulavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka, whi!h !laims that
Subhadda%s rude remar' prompted the Synod" )e reasoned that there is no mention of
this Subhadda%s a!!ount in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, Mahavagga, ighanikaya"
)e said that althouh this sutta is the a!!ount of the last minutes of the Buddha+s
lifetime, it does not des!ri%e the story of Subhadda, whose remar' prompted the
!on&ention of the Synod, and that the statement des!ri%ed in the $ulavagga is
therefore una!!epta%le"
>
The $enera%le Ashin &anakabhivamsa stated, howe&er, in his
Parajikakandabhasatika as follows@
-The Bommentary hints the in!ompleteness of Subhadda%s story in
3pan"amattehi bhikkhusatehi+ so it uses 3iti+ whose meanin here is 3and so on+ and it
says 3sabbamkandam+" Subhaddakanda (Se!tion on Su%hadda) refers to the a!!ount
of Subhadda as i&en in the Pan"asatiyasangitikkhandaka and the Parinibbana Sutta
of the Mahavagga, Suttanta Pitaka" The reader must see the i&en referen!es for the
fuller a!!ount"++
*
,rofessor 6inot
4
and .r" O%ermiller ha&e denied the una!!epta%ility of the
arument proposed %y Olden%er that the Pan"asatiyasangitikkhandaka was
oriinally in the Mahaparinibbana and later mo&ed into the $ulavagga of the Vinaya
Pitaka"
On the other hand, (" (" 8o!'hill Nuoted the Ti%etan ulva as sayin that
Thera Maha Kassapa held the 6irst Buddhist Boun!il in order to dispel the dou%t and
worry that the Buddha+s Tea!hin miht disappear li'e smo'e after the passin away
of the Buddha and )is !hief dis!iples su!h as Thera Sariputta and Thera
Mahamoggallana"
<
#nother s!holar S" Beal has also said that the Bhinese tra&eler
'iuen(Tsiang
)
re!orded the similar a!!ount of the 6irst Boun!il, that the Mahavastu
has similar mentions of the !auses for the Synod thouh it differs in some points from
1
$in"#"?"<-C, Kh4"#";;
>
)" Olden%er+s Vinaya Pitakam" )umphrey 5ildford, /ondon, 1:>:, ,"DD&i"
*
#shin 7ana'a%hi&amsa, Parajikandabhasatika, $ol"1, 4ew Burma (5yanmar) ,ress, #marapura,
1::<, p"<<"
4
/" 6inot+s Mahaparinibbana Sutta and $ulavagga* ?n The +ndian 'istori"al ,uarterly- 1:*>, p">4>"
<
(" (" 8o!'hill+s !i.e o. the /uddha, 4a&ran, 4ew .elhi, 8eprint, 1::1, p"148
C
S" Beal (tr") 'iuen(Tsing%s /uddhist #e"ords o. the 0estern 0orld, $ol"??, Kean ,aul, Tren!h,
Tru%ner, /ondon, 1:=C, p"1C4G )ui-li+s !i.e o. 'suan Tsang- the Bhinese Buddhist #sso!iation,
,e'in, 1:<:, p"11*"
8
the ulva" )e Nuoted the Mahavastu as !laimin stranely that the leader of the 6irst
Boun!il was not Thera Maha Kassapa %ut Thera Ka""ayana" ?n relation with this
fa!t, 5a2undar !ontinued that, out of the northern s!hool+s treatises, the 5ahisasa'a
$inaya, the .hammautta $inaya and the 5ahasanhi'a $inaya and so on were
found to ha&e a!!epted it" 6urthermore, the Sans'rit wor's of the northern s!hool of
Buddhism ha&e also re!orded the 6irst Buddhist Boun!il 2ust in the same way as it is
mentioned in the ,ali wor's of the southern s!hool"
1

4:5 Se.era% Pe!4%e #0 $he Name !" Subhadda (& Pa%( L($era$ure
?n his i"tionary o. Pali Proper 1ames, A" ," 5alalase'ara mentions se&en
people %y the name of Subhadda"
>
8eally, we !an find se&eral people %y that name"
The most prominent amon them are the Subhadda who is mentioned in the
$ulavagga, Pan"asatikakkhandhaka and the Subhadda who was the last dis!iple to %e
!on&erted %y the Buddha" #lthouh the two persons %ore the same name, their
!hara!ters and mentality were totally different" 6or the former is well 'nown as
Subhadda the old mon' (vuddhapabbajita), %e!ause of his %ein a late entrant to the
Order" )is a!!ount has %een des!ri%ed pre&iously in this !hapter"
The latter is 'nown as Subhadda the last dis!iple (pa""himasavaka)" )e !ame
of a Brahmin family of hih ran', who li&ed in Kusinara" )a&in heard that the
Buddha would enter into the Maha Parinibbana (the Areat .emise) in the Sal-tree
arden of Kusinara, Subhadda went there and as'ed permission to see the Buddha"
But Thera Ananda did not want to permit him %e!ause the Buddha was &ery weary"
So the thera refused his reNuest three times" (hen the Buddha heard the dialoue
%etween Thera Ananda and Subhadda, )e as'ed the former to ta'e the latter in"
Subhadda then as'ed the Buddha a%out the tea!hins of other reliious tea!hers" The
Buddha said that it was not the proper time to dis!uss these dou%ts %ut that no other
reliious system %ut )is Tea!hin tauht the 4o%le Eihtfold ,ath that leads to
1ibbana" Subhadda learnt the /aw from the Buddha )imself and, in the lifetime of
1
,rof" 8"B"5a2undar mentioned eiht treatises of ,ali and Sans'rit literatureG 1) Bula&aa ,ali teDt of
$inaya ,ita'a, >) 5aha&amsa, *) .ipa&amsa, 4) ,ara2i'a'anda #ttha'atha, 4idana'atha, <)
5aha%odhi&amsa, C) 5aha&astu, ;) Ti%etan .ul&a and 8) the Buddhist 8e!ord of the (estern
Bountries %y Bhinese 5on' )iuen Tsin" Out of them, the first to fifth are from ,ali literature, the C
th

and ;
th
from Sans'rit literature, and the last one a Bhinese re!ord" 5a2undar+s Buddhist Boun!ils" ?n the
Buddhist Studies" Tha!'er, Spin' and Bo" /td" Bal!utta, 1:*1, p">C1" Ehereafter@ 5a2undar (1:*1)F
>
.",","4"$ol"??","1>*=-1>*>
:
the Buddha, he %e!ame an Arahant after ha&in pra!ti!in the /aw ardently"
Subhadda was, therefore, the last dis!iple to %e !on&erted %y the Buddha"
1
The !ommentator $enera%le Maha /uddhaghosa says that when the Buddha
ranted him permission to ordain Subhadda, Thera Ananda too' him outside, poured
water o&er his head, made him ponder o&er the impermanen!e of the %ody, sha&ed off
his hair and %eard, donned him in yellow ro%es and, finally %y ma'in him repeat the
formula of ta'in the Three 8efues, ordained him into the Order" Then, the thera led
him %a!' to the Buddha" This was how the Buddha ordained Subhadda throuh Thera
Ananda" #fter ordination, Subhadda was i&en a su%2e!t for meditation" Subhadda
attained Arahantship while wal'in up and down in meditation in the Sal-tree arden,
and !ame to sit down %eside the Buddha"
>
?n the past eDisten!e, Subhadda and the $enera%le Thera Kondanna had %een
%rothers" They had disputes o&er i&in the first-fruits of their !ornfield to the mon's
in nine staes"
*
(hen, %ein the #rahants !on&erted %y the Buddha, they were on the
list of )is dis!iples, they were stri'inly prominent@ Thera Kondanna was the first
dis!iple to %e !on&erted %y the Buddha and Subhadda the last dis!iple" #t the time of
Padumutta /uddha+s Areat .emise, Subhadda did a merit %y ru%%in the dead %ody
of the Buddha with sandal wood and other frarant essen!es and pla!ed a %anner on
one stupa" ?n the time of Kassapa /uddha, Tissa, one of the Buddha+s two Bhief
.is!iples, was Subhadda+s son" Subhadda spo'e disparainly of his son, hen!e his
tardiness in meetin the Buddha (until the death%ed time of the Buddha) in his last
life" #!!ordinly to the #padana, Subhadda passed away into 1ibbana on the day of
his ordination and Arahantship"
4
The !on&ersation %etween the Buddha and Subhadda
has formed the topi! of a dilemma in the Milindapanna"
<

4:6 The F(r)$ Buddh()$ C!u&*(% a&d Thera Maha Kassapa+) R!%e a) $he Th(rd
Ch(e" D()*(4%e
The Buddha+s funeral !ame to a su!!essful end toether with the
!ompletion of .ona+s distri%ution of the Sa!red 8eli!s to the se&en 'indoms" ?t was
1
.4"??"148, .4"#"???"*;C
>
.4"#"??"<:=G .",","4,$ol"??,,"1>*>
*
.4"#"??"<88
4
#pa"?"1==
<
5ilida"1*=G .",","4,$ol"??,,"1>*>
1=
on the fifth waDin of &ettha (1ayon) in 148 Maha Era, whi!h was >1 days from the
Areat .emise"
1
On that day, se&en hundred thousand bhikkhus athered in Kusinara, out of
whom Thera Maha Kassapa was the eldest thera" The thera remem%ered how
Subhadda the old mon' made an irre&erent remar' a%out the Buddha" Sin!e su!h a
%i atherin of mon's would %e diffi!ult to ha&e aain, the thera narrated all his
eDperien!es and thouhts to the mon's M startin from the meetin with an Ajivaka on
his way from Pava to Kusinara with fi&e hundred %hi''hus, throuh his tea!hin of
the mournin bhikkhus, to Subhadda+s remar's a%out the .e!ease of the Buddha" )e
told the mon's that he had sin!e thouht of !on&enin a Buddhist Boun!il"
>
)e also
ured the mon's thus@
-Bome, friends@ let us re!ite the hamma (Tea!hin) and the Vinaya
(.is!ipline) %efore what is not the Tea!hin shines forth and the Tea!hin is put
aside, %efore what is not the .is!ipline shines forth and the .is!ipline is put aside,
%efore those who spea' what is not the Tea!hin %e!ome stron and those who spea'
what is the Tea!hin %e!ome wea', %efore those who spea' what is not the .is!ipline
%e!ome stron and those who spea' what is the .is!ipline %e!ome wea'"1 Then, all
the mon's present at the meetin made a unanimous de!ision to ele!t Thera Maha
Kassapa as head of the Boun!il to %e !on&ened"
*
4:7 The Se%e*$(!& !" M!&) "!r $he Buddh()$ C!u&*(%
Thera Maha Kassapa too' the initiati&e and !hose four hundred and ninety-
nine bhikkhus to form the Boun!il" The reason why the thera sele!ted only four
hundred and ninety-nine bhikkhus was that he wanted to lea&e aside a pla!e for Thera
Anada"
The reason was 2ustified %e!ause the !on&ention of the Synod to appro&e all
the do!trines of the Buddha would ha&e %een impossi%le without Thera Ananda, who
was an e&er present attendant of the Buddha and whose stewardship for re!itin the
Buddha+s do!trines was well-eNuipped with his fi&e 'inds of eminen!e"
4
But if the
1
.4"#"?";
>
$in"?$"481
*
.4"??"1**
4
#!!ordin to the 8esear!her+s .i!tionary of Bateories %y #shin O%hasa%hi&amsa, who was author
of the Sanpya 5yanmar .i!tionary, Thera #nanda was eminent in fi&e &irtues@ 'nowlede, firm
memory, wit, dilien!e and !ompanionship" See #shin O%hasa%hi&amsa+s 8esear!her+s .i!tionary of
Bateories, >==>, p"1=1-1=> Ehereafter, #shin O%hasa%hi&amsa (>==>)F
11
$enera%le Maha Kassapa had !hosen him of his own a!!ord, then he miht ha&e %een
!riti!iIed for partiality, %e!ause Thera Ananda, a Stream-(inner, had not rea!hed
Arahantship at that time" 6urthermore, Ananda was a noted prin!e of the Sakyan !lan
and had intimate relationship with Thera Maha Kassapa, who usually addressed him
as 3this youth+ e&en when Ananda was at the ae of eihty" Ta'in all these thins in
!onsideration, Thera Maha Kassapa restrained his own wish to !hoose Thera Ananda
for mem%ership of the Boun!il and sele!ted only four hundred and ninety-nine
mon's, with one filler to %e !hosen %y the !onreation of the mon's" Then, there was
some protest reardin the omission of Thera Ananda from the num%er of !oun!ilors
!hosen" #nd the mon's suppli!ated to Thera Maha Kassapa, -$enera%le Sir, there
!annot %e any !riti!ism on !hares of the pursuit of 3(ron ,aths+
1
for in!ludin
Thera Ananda in the Boun!illors, althouh he is still a Stream-(inner" #!tually, he
re!ei&ed a reater part of the hamma and the Vinaya from the Buddha )imself" So
please !onsider to sele!t him as a Boun!illor"1
Thus, with the !onsent of the Order to sele!t Thera Ananda as a Boun!illor,
the $enera%le Thera Maha Kassapa ot the Boun!il full of fi&e hundred Boun!illors"
>
But the $enera%le Ananda also attained Arahantship at niht on the e&e of the
Synod"
*
The fi&e hundred bhikkhus, who were all Arahants now, held the Synod
toether, spendin their &assa in #ajagaha that year"
4
?t was the a!!ount of the Synod
as stated %y the $ulavagga Pali of the Vinaya Pitaka"
8elyin on this information, the Buddhist authors of %oth the southern and
northern s!hools ela%orated on the a!!ount of the Synod" 6or instan!e, in the
$ulavagga, only the names are mentioned of Theras Maha Kassapa- 2pali and
Ananda" But the ipavamsa in!ludes the names of many theras" #s reards this, the
.ipa&amsa does not 2ust state that the Boun!il was held with fi&e hundred Arahants M
only eDperts in the 'nowlede of the Ti(pitaka M sele!ted from the se&en hundred
thousand mon's who athered at that meetin of bhikkhus, %ut it ela%orates on the list
of Boun!illors" 6or eDample, the names of the leadin mon's are des!ri%ed M names
followed %y their eminen!e - as follow@
1
$in"???"*:<, $in"#"???"4=>, and so on state that one who is not freed from e&il impulses is lia%le to
ta'e these wron paths in 2udi!ial and finan!ial affairs" These four wron paths are@ the path of reed,
of hate, of delusion, and of !owardi!e" E#shin O%hasa%hi&amsa (>==>) p"8F
>
$in"?$"418, $in"#"?"C, .4"#"?"<
*
$in"#"?"1=, .4"#"?"1=-11
4
$in"?$"48>
1>
-Thera Maha Kassapa, who was the most eminent amon those who pra!ti!e
the as!eti! pra!ti!es,
Thera Ananda, who was eminent in 'nowlede,
Thera 2pali, who was eminent in the $inaya matters,
Thera Anuruddha, who was eminent in the .i&ine Eyes,
Thera Vangisa, who was eminent in witti!ism,
Thera Punna, who was eminent in deli&eran!e of sermons,
Thera Kumarakassapa, who was eminent in pe!uliar use of words,
Thera Ka""ana, who was eminent amon those who are $i%ha22a&adins,
Thera Kothita, who was eminent in promptitude1
1
The ?ntrodu!tions to the Samantapasadika and the Sumangalavilasini, and the
Mahavamsa i&e more ela%orate des!riptions of the Synod" Sin!e these wor's ha&e
%een treated respe!tfully %y the southern s!hool of Buddhism, their a!!ounts should
also %e dis!ussed in %rief %ut thorouhly"
The Buddha+s ,assin-away into 1ibbana too' pla!e in the Sal Aro&e of the
Malla prin!es in Kusinara" The homae to the demised Buddha and the !remation of
)is %ody were followed %y the di&ision of the reli!s amon the 'ins, whi!h was
twenty one days after the /ord+s .emise" #t the !eremony of distri%ution of reli!s,
se&en hundred thousand bhikkhus athered and the $enera%le Thera 5aha Kassapa
re!ounted the rude words of Subhadda to the atherin" Then, de!ision was made
upon the holdin of a Boun!il, for whi!h Thera Ananda and other 4:: bhikkhus were
sele!ted from amon those who 'new the Ti(pitaka" The Boun!illors went to
#ajagaha and repaired the old monasteries there, first of all" On the full-moon day of
Asalha (the Burmese eNui&alent %ein 0aso), a meetin was held aain in the Order"
#fter that, the messae of the forth!omin Buddhist Boun!il was sent to Kin
Ajatasatthu, who as'ed the Order at whi!h pla!e he should ha&e a pa&ilion %uilt for
the Boun!il" Then, as pointed out %y the Boun!illors, the 'in %uilt a splendid
pa&ilion at the entran!e of the Sattapanni Ba&e on the hillside of 5ount Vebhara near
#ajagaha" On the fifth wanin of the followin month (Savana), the Synod was
inauurated"
>
?t is the a!!ount of the Synod as i&en %y the $enera%le Maha
/uddhaghosa, whom the Mahavamsa later followed"
1
Olden%er (>==1) p"*=-*1, #"?">*-><
>
.4"#"?":, $in"#"?":
1*
4:18 The P%a*e a&d T(me !" $he C!&.e&$(!& !" $he Buddh()$ C!u&*(%
The Boun!illors dis!ussed the lo!ation for the Boun!il and !hose 8a2aaha
first" The reason is that #ajagaha
3
was wide and lare enouh for alms-food
!olle!tion, with a lot of monasteries to a!!ommodate the mon's" Then, they de!ided
to spend their vassa in #ajagaha while editin the Buddha+s Tea!hin and .is!ipline
in the Boun!il" They also areed that no mon's other than the Boun!illors would
spend vassa durin the rainy months in #ajagaha" This areement was prompted %y
their !on!ern that 3a !ertain non-!onformist li'e Subhadda may distur% the daily
sessions of the Boun!il, still as a mem%er of the Sangha+"
>
Then, the said fi&e hundred
Arahants made their way to #ajagaha from Kusinara, whi!h was twenty fi&e yojanas
from the former" #t 8a2aaha, they held another meetin in the Order on the first
wanin day of #salha" The meetin de!ided that the monasteries in and near the !ity
would %e repaired durin the first month and that the Synod would %e held in the
se!ond month"
*
#s has %een stated so far, it is !ommon %elief that the 6irst Boun!il was held
in 8a2aaha" 5any treatises whi!h des!ri%e the a!!ount of the Boun!il ha&e !laimed
it" But here we should note that the a!!ounts of the Synod i&en in these treatises
rane %etween the two eDtremes of 3too %rief+ and 3too ela%orate+" #lthouh the
$ulavagga simply mentions the pla!e of the Boun!il to %e #ajagaha, a later treatise
ipavamsa is more a!!urate in statin the pla!e to %e the Sattapanni
4
Ba&e
<
on the
hillside of 5ount Vebhara
)
near #ajagaha" ?n the !ommentaries whi!h were written
later than the ipavamsa, /uddhaghosa says, still more a!!urately, that the Boun!il
was held in the pa&ilion set up near the entran!e to the Sattapanni Ba&e on the hillside
1
8a2ariha (/at ><O >P 4, /on 8<O >CP E) 4" /" .ey+s Geographi"al i"tionary o. An"ient and
Mediavel +ndia, Orient 8eprint, 4ew .elhi, 1:;1, p"1C<" Ehereafter@ .ey (1:;1)F ." 5itra+s /uddhist
Monuments, Sahitya Samsad, Bal!utta, 1:;1, p";1 Ehereafter@ 5itra (1:;1=F
>
$in"#"?";, .4"#"?"C, Sarattha"?"<=
*
H 5yint Swe+s +ndia(Pyi(/uddha(Thathana(Thamaing, >==4, p":
4
Sattapanni" Sattapanni means a tree %y that name M a tall tree yieldin soft, white wood with the %ar'
and sap ha&in medi!inal appli!ation" Alstonia s"hoaris" ?n 5yanmar lanuae, it is !alled
p&nf;yif? Awmifrk&dk;? awmifrJtkyf" 5yanmar-Enlish .i!tionary, ,hoto-litho ,ress,
1::4, p"148" ?t is a Bodhi tree where Tanhan'ara Buddha attained the 6ull Enlihtenment" H #lo'a+s
Sotatthaki Pali 1issaya, Thudhammawady ,ress, 9anon, 1:>8, p"44Q>=<" ?t is the se&en- lea&ed
#lstonia S!holaris" ?"B")orner (tr") 3$hroni"le o. the /uddhas%, ,TS, /ondon, 1:;<, p"&ii"
<
.ipa&amsa
C
5ount $e%hara is one of the fi&e mountains around 8a2aaha Bity" #t its foot, the Tapoda ri&er is
flowin" .,,4"??":>;" ?t measures 8 miles in lenth, 11Q> miles in %readth, and C furlons (*:C= ft) in
heiht" #shin Kelasa+s $hattha Sanghayana Thamaing(da4(gyi- $ol"?, Sirinanda ,ress, 9anon, 1::;,
p">*>
14
of 5ount Vebhara" The eDaeration and ela%oration of histori! a!!ounts is !ommon
in the tradition of %oo's"
#mon the Mahayani" treatises, the Ti%etan ulva %elie&ed the pla!e of the
Boun!il to %e the 1igrodha Ba&e instead of the Sattapanni Ba&e"
1
Asvaghosa, who
was a poet laureate and philosopher in Kin Kanishka%s time, !laimed it to %e in
+ndrasala"
>
#nyway, the %elief that the 6irst Boun!il too' pla!e in #ajagaha is still
stron"
(hen it !omes to the time of the Boun!il, too, the Bula&aa says that fi&e
hundred Arahants started editin the Buddha+s Tea!hin and .is!ipline in the
Boun!il on the first wanin of Savana"
*
By !ontrast, the $enera%le /uddhaghosa was
a!!urate in !laimin the day to %e the fifth wanin of that month"
4
?t is interestin to
note, howe&er, that all the re!ords did not mention the year, whi!h is more important
than any other time eDpressions" BonseNuently, a dis!ussion is !alled for %e!ause it is
!losely lin'ed with the Buddha+s Areat .emise" .ifferent s!holars hold different
opinions of the time of the /ord+s ,assin-away" The %est 'nown amon them are
B"B" <44, B"B" 48C and B"B" 48*"
<
The year <44 %efore the Bhristian era is as!ertained
throuh !al!ulations in a!!ordan!e with the old Burmese (5yanmar) and Beylonese
re!ords" But e&en in Beylon, history still !annot %e tra!ed %a!' %eyond the ele&enth
!entury, so a wor'in estimation is put forward that the Buddha passed away in B"B
48*"
C
The estimation is the mostly a!!epted one on the date of the Buddha+s .emise"
#lthouh Bam%odia, /aos and Thailand unanimously %elie&e the Areat
.emise to ha&e happened in B"B" <44, the 5ahayanists and modern s!holars ha&e
only a!!epted the year of the reat e&ent as B"B" 48C and B"B" 48* respe!ti&ely" Of
the two years stated, aain, the former whi!h is a!tually less popular than the latter
arees with a time !ountin system found in Banton" Tradition had it, as they say, that
a drop was mar'ed ea!h year after the Buddha+s ,assin-away until #"." 48:" Sin!e
all the drops num%er :;<, the Buddha+s .emise must ha&e o!!urred in B"B" 48C (#"."
:;< - 48: R B"B" 48C)"
;
This result from re!'onin the passed years %y drops has
1
Bu-ston+s 'istory o. /uddhism, $ol ??, )idel%er, 1:*>, p"8>G ,"$"Bapat (1::;) p"*>
>
#un )tut (1:C;) p"1<=
*
$in"?$"48>
4
$in"#"?"8-:, .4"#"?"8-:
<
$"#"Smith+s Early 'istory o. +ndia, Blarendon ,ress, ODford, 1:>4, p"4:
C
#di'aram (1:<*) p"4*-44
;
T"O"/in+s i"tionary o. /uddhism, Bharles S!ri%ner+s Sons, 4ew 9or', 1:;>, p"4<
1<
ained popularity amon s!holars, now" But this dissertation holds on to the
!ommoner wor'in assumption that the Synod was held in B"B" 48*"
4:11 The Pr!*eed(&,) !" $he F(r)$ Buddh()$ C!u&*(%
The term 3sangayana+, whi!h is the oriinal word for the renderin Buddhist
Boun!il or Synod, means the pro!lamation of the Buddha+s .o!trines %y the
atherin of Elders (theras)"
1
The term is alleed to ha&e %een first used %y
/uddhaghosa in his Samantapasadika Bommentary" 6ormerly, the e&ent had 2ust
%een referred to as 3sangiti+, as in the $ulavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka and the
ipavamsa" Throuhout the Sangitikhandhaka, su!h &er%s as
3dhammavinayasangaham karoma+ and 3sangayissama+ are found" But the term
3sanayana+ is not found in these wor's" So it is assuma%le that the Boun!il was
formerly referred to as 3sangiti+ and later !ame to %e !alled 3sangayana+"
>
(hen the fi&e hundred Bou!illors met, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa, who
was the Third Bhief .is!iple, too' his role of the Boun!il" )e sat on the Therasana
Throne holdin a fan whose staff was made of i&ory and as'ed the Boun!illors,
-6riends, whi!h shall we re!ite toether first out of %etween the Tea!hin and the
.is!ipline01 The Boun!illors suppli!ated to the $enera%le thera, -$enera%le Sir, we
shall re!ite the .is!ipline first sin!e it is the life and heart of the Buddha+s
Tea!hins"1
*
Then, Thera Maha Kassapa as'ed, -(ho shall %e in !hare of the re!ital of
the Vinaya (.is!ipline)01 and all the mon's areed to ele!t Thera 2pali their leader"
The Boun!illors unanimously entrusted the leadership in the Session to re!ite the
Vinaya %e!ause he had %een de!lared %y the Buddha )imself to %e the most eminent
s!holar of the Vinaya Pitaka"
4
Then, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa nominated himself
to %e the Nuestioner for this Session of re!itin the Vinaya (Vinaya(pu""haka)"
<
1
5yanmar /anuae Bommission+s Myanmar English i"tionary, 5inistry of Edu!ation, 9anon,
1::1, p"*8=G 5yanmar /anuae Bommission+s Myanmar English i"tionary, the .epartment of
5yanmar /anuae Bommission, 9anon, 1::*, p"<;=G #shin ,annanada+s the 5irst /uddhist $oun"il
and Ven6 Mahakassapa, a thesis su%mitted in fulfillment of reNuirements for an 5# deree,
Types!ript, 1::<, p"1"
>
#un )tut (1:C;) p"14*
*
3$inayonama sasanassa ayu, &inaye thite sasanam thitam hotu"+ ."#"?"1>, Tha"#"?"4;C, $in"?"8,
#%h"#"??"41*
4
#4"#"><, $in"?$"14>
<
.4"#"?"1, $in"#"?"11, $in"$"1
1C
Then, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa de!lared to the Boun!illors, -Brethren, let
the Order hear me" ?f the Order has a timely !ause, ? shall Nuestion the $enera%le
2pali on the Vinaya Pitaka"1
1

The $enera%le Thera 2pali also de!lared to the Boun!illors, -$enera%le Sirs,
let the Order hear me" ?f the Order has a timely !ause, ? shall answer the $enera%le
Maha Kassapa+s Nuestions on the Vinaya"1 #fter de!larin thus, the $enera%le 2pali
stood up with ro%es fully wrapped and with the upper ro%e put on one shoulder, paid
respe!t to the Elders and was seated on the hammasana Throne holdin a fan with
the i&ory staff"
>

4:1' The Re*($a% !" $he Vinaya Pitaka
Sittin on the Therasana Throne, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa as'ed the
$enera%le 2pali a%out the first Parajika rule (rule entailin eDpulsion from the Order)
in!ludin its history (where, when, with referen!e to whom, et!")" The $enera%le
Hpali answered in reply that this rule was pres!ri%ed in $esali with referen!e to the
enaement in the seDual a!t of Sudinna, a ri!h man+s son of Kalanda, who had
seDual union with his eD-wife"
?n the same pro!edure, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa Nuestioned the rule+s
vatthu (story), nidana (!ause), puggala (the indi&idual who !ommitted the offen!e),
mulapannatti (ordinan!e), anupannatti (su%headin of ordinan!e) and anapatti
(eDemption from uilt)" ?n return, the $enera%le 2pali answered the Nuestions fully"
Then, the fi&e hundred Boun!illors re!ited the Nuestions and answers in the oriinal
order and re!oniIed it to %e 3the 6irst Parajika 8ule+" This is how the Boun!il edited
and re!ited the 6irst Parajika 8ule" #t the end of this, the earth trem%led in
re!onition of the !ompletion of the rule"
*
Then, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa inNuired the $enera%le 2pali a%out the
fa!ts of the se!ond Parajika rule" The $enera%le 2pali answered that it was
pres!ri%ed %y the Buddha with referen!e to the theft of royal property %y the mon'
.haniya, a potter+s son, who stole the royal tea' los of Kin /imbisara"
Then, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa inNuired the $enera%le 2pali a%out the
fa!ts of the third Parajika rule" The $enera%le 2pali answered that it was pres!ri%ed
1
$in"?$"48*
>
.4"#"?"1>, $in"#"?"11, $in"?$"48>, $in"$"1
*
.4"#"?"1*, Saratth"?"C=-C1
1;
%y the Buddha with referen!e to the murder !ommitted %y the se&eral mon's of
Vesali, who 'illed ea!h other"
Then, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa inNuired the $enera%le 2pali a%out the
fa!ts of the fourth Parajika rule" The $enera%le 2pali answered that it was pres!ri%ed
%y the Buddha with referen!e to the %oastful de!laration of possessin a superhuman
state and son %y the mon's of the Vaggamuda ri&er in Vesali, who without dire!t
'nowlede referred to ea!h other as ha&in attained the Stream-winner stae, the
On!e-returner stae, the 4e&er-returner stae and the #rahantship in order that they
!ould earn their li&in more easily"
?n this way, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa Nuestioned ea!h rule+s vatthu
(story), nidana (oriinal !ause), puggala (the indi&idual who !ommitted the offen!e),
mulapannatti (root-reulation), anupannatti (auDiliary reulation) and anapatti
(eDemption from reulation)" The $enera%le 2pali said well in reply to e&ery
Nuestion posed %y the Bhief /eader of the Boun!il"
1
4:1- The D(.()(!& !" $he Vinaya Pitaka
#fter re!itin the four Parajika rules and other Vinaya rules, the Boun!illors
appro&ed the followin di&isions of rules in different se!tions of the Mahavibhanga
.i&ision of the Vinaya Pitaka@
1" the four Parajika rules in the Parajikakanda se!tion,
>" the thirteen Sanghadisesa offen!es in the Terasakakanda se!tion,
*" the two Aniyata offen!es in the Aniyatakanda se!tion,
4" the thirty 1issaggiya Pa"ittiya offen!es in the 1issaggiyakanda se!tion,
<" the ninety-two Pa"ittiya offen!es in the Pa"ittiyakanda se!tion,
C" the four Patidesaniya offen!es in the Patidesaniyakanda se!tion,
;" the se&enty-fi&e Sekhiya rules of polite %eha&iour in the Sekhiyakanda se!tion,
and
8" the se&en ways of settlin disputes in the Adhikaranasamathakanda se!tion"
The >>; trainin-rules were thus put toether into the Mahavibhanga, whi!h
later !ame to %e !alled 3/hikkhupatimokkha+" Soon after the fi&e hundred Arahants
had !ompleted the re!ital and appro&al of these rules, the earth shoo' in re!onition
of this a!!omplishment"
1
$in"$"4, $in"?$"48*, $in"#"?"11
18
Then, the Boun!illors appro&ed the followin di&isions of rules for bhikkhunis
in different se!tions of the /hikkhunivibhanga .i&ision of the Vinaya Pitaka@
1" the eiht Parajika rules in the Parajikakanda se!tion,
>" the se&enteen offen!es in the Sattarasakakanda se!tion,
*" the thirty 1issaggiya Pa"ittiya offen!es in the 1issaggiyapa"ittiyakanda
se!tion,
4" the one hundred and siDteen Pa"ittiya offen!es in the Pa"ittiyakanda se!tion,
<" the eiht Patidesaniya offen!es in the Patidesaniyakanda se!tion,
C" the se&enty-fi&e Sekhiya rules of polite %eha&iour in the Sekhiyakanda se!tion,
and
;" the se&en ways of settlin disputes in the Adhikaranasamathakanda se!tion"
This /hikkhunivibhanga was later !alled /hikkhunipatimokkha" The
/hikkhupatimokkha and the /hikkhunipatimokkha were toether !alled
32bhatovibhanga+ (the Twofold Vibhanga)
1
" #fter re!itin and appro&in the
2bhatovibhanga, the earth shoo' in re!onition of its !ompletion"
The pro!edure of the $enera%le Maha Kassapa+s Nuestions followed %y the
$enera%le 2pali+s answers on the 2bhatovibhanga !ontinued until the !ompletion of
the Khandhaka and the Parivara" #ll the %oo's appro&ed so far were toether !alled
the Vinaya Pitaka"
The Vinaya Pitaka is later !omposed of fi&e %oo's as follow@
1" The Parajika (/hikkhuvibhanga), the eDposition of rules for bhikkhus,
>" The Pa"ittiya (/hikkhunibhanga), the eDposition of rules for bhikkhunis,
*" The Mahavagga, the %oo' of lon Vinaya !ases,
4" The $ulavagga, the %oo' of Vinaya !ases whi!h are shorter than those in the
Mahakhandaka, and
<" The Parivara, the auDiliary %oo' of Vinaya !ases whi!h remain untreated in
other %oo's"
#fter rehearsin and re!itin the Vinaya Pitaka in its entirety, the $enera%le
Hpali and his dis!iples were entrusted the duty of preser&in it" Thera Hpali dropped
1
2bhatovibhanga means Parajikakanda Pali teDt and Pa"ittiya ,ali teDt" ?t is also !alled
Suttavibhanga" #shin Therinda+ Vinaya Sasana and $en 2pali" # Thesis for 5"#"(Buddhism), Typin
S!ript" 1::>" p"118" S!holars remar'ed that in the $ulavagga Pali teDt, only two Vinaya teDts,
Parajikakanda and Pa"ittiya, are mentioned as 2bhatovibhanga %ut the remainin ones M $ulavagga,
Mahavagga, and Parivara M !annot %e definitely said to %e re!ited in the 6irst Samgayana (Buddhist
Boun!il)" #un )tut (1:C;) p"1<;" ?n the Parajikakanda Atthakatha ($in"#"?"1>), the word
3Mahavibhanga+ means fi&e Vinaya teDts" Parajikam bhasatika, 1, p":4
1:
the i&ory fan, des!ended from the throne, payin respe!t to the Elders, and too' his
oriinal pla!e amon the Boun!il mem%ers"
1
4:14 The Re*($a% !" $he Suttanta Pitaka
#fter re!itin the whole Vinaya Pitaka (.is!ipline), the Boun!illor de!ided to
!ontinue the re!ital of hamma (Tea!hin) M the Suttanta Pitaka and the
Abhidhamma Pitaka" Thereupon, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa as'ed the Boun!illors,
-6riends, who shall ta'e the role of leadership in re!itin the Suttanta and the
Abhidhamma01 The Boun!illors proposed the $enera%le Ananda for this" Then, the
$enera%le Maha Kassapa de!lared, -Brethren, let the order hear me" ? shall %e the
Nuestioner for this Session of re!itin the hamma, if there is a timely o!!asion for
the Order"1 The $enera%le Ananda also de!lared to the Order, -$enera%le Sirs, let the
Order hear me" ?f there is a timely o!!asion for the Order, ? shall answer the Nuestions
on hamma posed %y the $enera%le Maha Kassapa"1
#fter passin his de!laration on to the Order, the $enera%le Ananda stood up
with ro%es fully wrapped and with the upper ro%e put on one shoulder, paid respe!t to
the Elders and was seated on the hammasana Throne holdin a fan with the i&ory
staff"
>
The $enera%le Maha Kassapa, who was sittin on the Therasana Throne,
as'ed the Boun!illors whi!h Pitaka M Suttanta or Abhidhamma M should %e re!ited
first" Then, the Boun!illors areed to rehearse and re!ite Suttanta first" (hen the
$enera%le Maha Kassapa as'ed whi!h dis!ourse of the Suttanta should %e re!ited
first, the mon's proposed to re!ite the /rahmajala Sutta of the Silakkhandavagga,
ighanikaya"
*
Thus, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa as'ed the $enera%le Ananda a%out
the fi&e 1ikayas (Bolle!tion of .is!ourses)"
4

The $enera%le Maha Kassapa as'ed the $enera%le Ananda who tauht the
/rahmajala Sutta, where, with referen!e to whom, and for what it was tauht and so
on" The $enera%le Ananda told that the dis!ourse was tauht at Ambhalatthika+s
1
.4"#"?"1*, $in"$":C, Sarattha"?"C1
>
.4"#"?"14, $in"#"?"1>-1*
*
$in"?$"48*, .4"#"?"14, $in"#"?"1>
4
$in"?$"484" 6i&e 4i'ayas means .iha, 5a22hima, Samyutta, #nuttara and Khudda'a as mentioned
in the Sila''handha&aa #ttha'atha" ."#"?"1<" ?t is stated in the ,ara2i'a'anda #ttha'atha that
$inaya whi!h was replied %y the $enera%le Hpali was in!luded in the Khudda'a 4i'aya, so 4i'aya
!an %e rouped as four" $in"#"?"1>" ?n the atha 1< of the Batutthapari!!heda, .ipa&amsa,
4a&anasattusasanam is eDplained as nine attri%utes and in atha 1C the Sutta ,ita'a is di&ided into
$aa, ,annasa, Samyutta, and 4ipata" Olden%er (>==1) p"1*<" S!holars remar'ed that the Khudda'a
4i'aya is eD!luded and there is no term to S
>=
mano par' %etween #ajagaha and 1alanda with referen!e to Suppiya the wanderin
as!eti! and the youthful /rahmadatta and that the dis!ourse was tauht to distinuish
%etween the tal' of honourin the Three Aems+ attri%utes and that of dishonourin
them"
Then, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa posed Nuestions on the !ause, sour!e and
history of the dis!ourse, whi!h the $enera%le Ananda answered in reply immediately"
#fter that, the fi&e hundred Boun!illors rehearsed and re!ited the dis!ourse in its
entirety, at the end of whi!h the earth trem%led as if it re!oniIed the !ompletion of
the dis!ourse"
1
The main reason for re!itin the Brahma2ala Sutta first is that the dis!ourse
in!ludes the three 'inds of morality (lesser form, moderate form and reater form) in
its !ontents, atta!'in the different forms of wron li&elihood %y means of tri!'s and
surprises as well as the siDty-two 'inds of wron %eliefs"
>
#fter re!itin the /rahmajala Sutta in this way, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa
who wanted to !ontinue his pro!edure of rehearsin and re!itin the neDt dis!ourse,
as'ed the $enera%le Ananda a%out the pla!e, indi&iduals and !ause of Samannaphala
Sutta"
*
Thera Ananda replied that the dis!ourse was tauht to Kin Ajatasatthu %y the
Buddha in the mano par' donated %y the royal physi!ian &ivaka"
Then, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa as'ed all pertinent Nuestions a%out the
dis!ourse and the $enera%le Ananda answered, at the end of whi!h the fi&e hundred
arahants re!ited and appro&ed the said dis!ourse"
The thirteen dis!ourses in!ludin the /rahmajala and Samannaphala Suttas
were thus re!ited and re!oniIed as the Silakkhandavagga" #fter the
Silakkhandavagga, the Boun!illors !ontinued to re!ite dis!ourses whi!h were to %e
in!orporated into the Mahavagga and Pathikavagga" These three vaggas !om%ined to
form the ighanikaya, whi!h is altoether !omposed of *4 dis!ourses and is C4
bhanavaras
4
lon" The duty of preser&in the ighanikaya was then entrusted to the
des!endants of the $enera%le Ananda"
1
$in"?$"48*, $in"#"?"1>, .4"#"?"14
>
Sarattha"?"C1
*
.4"?"<8-<:" ?n this dis!ourse, the Buddha tauht the immediate and pro&a%le %enefits of enterin into
the Order rather than the %enefits to !ome in the neDt eDisten!es"
4
# 3%hana&ara+ is a !ontinual readin of ,ali" ?t is eNui&alent to ><= &erses of four o!tosylla%i! lines"
So a %hana&ara is 8=== sylla%les lon" ?t is a term used to refer to one time+s readin of ,ali at the
Buddhist Boun!ils" (hen re!ited, a %hana&ara-lon teDt ta'es a%out half an hour" (.4"T (new)"81)
>1
4eDt, the 8=-bhanavara-lon Majjhimanikaya was re!ited and appro&ed" The
des!endants of the $enera%le Sariputta a!!epted responsi%ility to preser&e this
1ikaya"
Then, the 1==-bhanavara-lon Samyuttanikaya was re!ited and appro&ed" The
des!endants of the $enera%le Maha Kassapa a!!epted responsi%ility to preser&e this
1ikaya"
?t was followed %y the re!itation of the 1>=-bhanavara-lon
Anguttaraanikaya, whi!h was to %e preser&ed %y the $enera%le Anuruddha and his
des!endants"
1
Then, the remainin fifteen treatises M namely, the &ataka, the 1iddesa, the
Patisambidamagga, the Apadana, the Suttanipata, the Khuddakapatha, the
hammapada, the 2dana, the +tivuttaka, the Vimana, the Peta, the Theragatha, the
Therigatha, the $ariyapitaka and the /uddhavamsa M were rehearsed and re!ited
toether" These treatises were !ateoriIed as 3Khuddakagantha+ (the 5inor TeDts)"
4o mention is found of the person assined to preser&e these teDts, eD!ept for the fa!t
that the four 1ikayas and these fifteen treatises were toether named the Suttanta
Pitaka" 4or is the mention of the Abhidhamma Pitaka in parti!ular in the $ulavagga+s
a!!ount of the Synod"
>
#fter re!itin the Suttanta Pita'a, the Abhidhamma Pitaka was to %e re!ited
a!!ordin to the answers i&en %y the $enera%le Ananda" Then, all the arahants at the
Boun!il re!ited the do!trines of the Buddha in unison" Thus, on the fifth wanin day
of the month Phagguna (eNui&alent to Tabaung in 5yanmar lunar !alendar), the 6irst
Buddhist Boun!il was ended su!!essfully" The re!itation with the appro&al and
editin of the Boun!illor had started on the fifth wanin day of the month Savana
(eNui&alent to 0akhaung in 5yanmar lunar !alendar), and it !o&ered all the do!trines
of the Buddha di&isi%le into twofold Tea!hin and .is!ipline, threefold Pitaka,
fi&efold 1ikaya, ninefold Anga and 84,=== hammakkhandas"
*
4:11 The S*h!%ar)+ C!mme&$) u4!& $he Ca&!&(*a% Trea$()e) Re*($ed a&d
A44r!.ed (& $he F(r)$ Buddh()$ C!u&*(%
1
K"8"4orman+ ,ali /iterature" Otto )arrassowitI, (ies%anden"1:8*"p"8-:" #shin ?nda!ara+ The Third
.is!iple of the Buddha" # Thesis for 5"#" deree"
>
.4"#"?"1<, $in"#"?"1*, Sarattha"?"C*
*
5yint Swe (>==4) p"11-1>
>>
This se!tion is important in the sense that it is !on!erned with the Nuestion of
the !ontents of the oriinal Banon, for the Banon in the present form is alleed,
thouh some %elie&ed it to ha&e remained inta!t sin!e the 6irst Boun!il, to ha&e
in!orporated later additions and modifi!ations" )owe&er, the s!ope of the Nuestion is
too %road for this dissertation to e&aluate all a&aila%le detailed information, so it puts
its emphasis on whether or not the Abhidhamma Pitaka was re!ited and appro&ed in
the 6irst Boun!il"
6irst, the $ulavagga states that the $enera%le Maha Kassapa was the
Nuestioner in all the sessions of the re!ital of the Vinaya and the hamma, and the
$enera%le 2pali and the $enera%le Ananda answered his Nuestions on the Vinaya and
the hamma respe!ti&ely one after another"
1
?t also states that the Nuestions were
detailed and proressi&e" #s reards this a!!ount of the Boun!il, the $ulavagga was
followed %y su!h Theravadin treatises as the ipavamsa,
>
the Mahavamsa,
*
the
Samantapasadika Bommentary
4
" #mon these treatises, the Samantapasadika
Bommentary i&e the most !omprehensi&e and informati&e a!!ount of the Boun!il"
On the !ontrary, the 5ahayanist re!ords of the Boun!il %y )iuen Tsan and the
Ti%etan ulvan !laim that first, the $enera%le Ananda re!ited the hammaG neDt, the
$enera%le 2pali re!ited the VinayaG and, finally, the $enera%le Maha Kassapa
himself re!ited the Abhidhamma"
<
8eardin the treatises appro&ed in the 6irst Buddhist Boun!il, the $ulavagga
stranely i&es no mention of the Abhidhamma Pitaka" The ipavamasa is the
follower of the $ulavagga in this respe!t, %ut in it !an some !lues still %e found su!h
as the phrase 3navanga satthusasanam+ and the mention of the Boun!il+s di&ision of
the re!ited Banon into vagga, pannasaka, samyutta, nipata and so on" The term
3vagga+ means the ighanikaya whi!h !onsists of the three vaggas, namely, the
Silakkhandhavagga, the Mahavagga and the Pathikavagga" The term 3pannasaka+ is
another name for the Majjhimanikaya, whi!h !onsists of the three pannasas, namely,
the Mulapannasa, the Majjhimapannasa and the 2paripannasa" The term 3samyutta+
o%&iously refers to the Samyuttanikaya, whi!h is di&ided into fi&e %oo's, namely, the
Sagathavagga-samyutta, the 1idanavagga-samyutta, the Salayatanavagga-samyutta
1
$in"?$"48>
>
.ip"?$"11
*
5h&"???"*<
4
$in"#"?"11
<
E"7"Thomas+ )istory of Buddhist Thouht, /ondon, 1:**, p">8
>*
and the Mahavagga-samyutta" The term 3nipata+ stands for the Anguttaranikaya,
whi!h !onsists of 11 nipatas ranin from eka-nipata to ekadasaka-nipata" ,rofessor
Olden%er, the translator of the ipavamsa, also made the same remar', a!!ordin to
whi!h the ipavamsa mentions only the four 1ikayas eD!ludin the
Khuddakanikaya"
1
Therefore, the in!lusion of the Abhidhamma, whi!h is part of the
Khuddakanikaya, in the 6irst Buddhist Boun!il %e!omes dou%tful"
But !on!ernin this dou%t, another !lue is i&en in the $ulavagga, in whi!h
there is a phrase of 3pan"anikaye+" There%y, the Theravadins ha&e !on!luded that the
6irst Boun!il appro&ed all the fi&e nikayas and their !on!lusion is supported %y the
Bommentator $enera%le Maha /uddhaghosa, who interprets 3pan"anikaye+ to %e the
ighanikaya, the Majjhimanikaya, the Samyuttanikaya, the Anguttaranikaya and the
Khuddakanikaya" ?n his ,ream%le to the Sumangalavilasini Bommentary, the
$enera%le /uddhaghosa e&en more !learly states that the Boun!illors re!ited and
appro&ed the se&en %oo's of the Abhidhamma Pitaka after ha&e appro&ed the
Anguttaranikaya"
>
)e !ontinues that the responsi%ility of learnin and passin on the
ighanikaya was assined to the $enera%le Ananda and his dis!iples, that of learnin
and passin on the Majjhimanikaya to the $enera%le Sariputta and his dis!iples, that
of learnin and passin on the Samyuttanikaya to the $enera%le Maha Kassapa and
his dis!iples, and that of learnin and passin on the Anguttaranikaya to the
$enera%le Anuruddha and his dis!iples" But he does not mention any assinment of
responsi%ility of learnin and passin on the Khuddakanikaya"
*
?n the liht of this and
the &erity that the se&enth %oo' of the Abhidhamma M the Kathavatthu (,oints of
Bontro&ersy) M is the wor' of the $enera%le Maha Moggaliputtatissa, who led the
Third Buddhist Boun!il, we !annot any loner hold on to the $enera%le
/uddhaghosa%s interpretation of 3pan"anikaye+"
4

# s!holar E" 7" Thomas has also !laimed that the $ulavagga does not mention
the 6irst Boun!il+s re!itation of the Abhidhamma, pro%a%ly %e!ause of its immature
stae for !onstitutin a separate Pitaka, and a plausi%le and safe assumption would %e
that the present-day Abhidhamma Pitaka is &ery different from the then Abhidhamma
Pitaka" Ta'in these !onsiderations, some s!holars prefer to re2e!t the in!lusion of the
1
.ip"?$"18->=
>
$in"#"?"1*-1<
*
#di'aram (1::C) p">4-*>
4
#un )tut (1:C;) p"1<=
>4
Abhidhamma Pitaka alon with the Suttanta and Vinaya Pitakas in the 6irst Buddhist
Boun!il"
1
4:13 The Cr($(*a% A&a%0)() !" $he H()$!r(*($0 !" $he F(r)$ Buddh()$ C!u&*(%
#mon the Pali s!holars, the histori!ity of the 6irst Buddhist Boun!il has %een
a heated issue" ?t was Olden%er, a first-ran' Pali s!holar of the (estern hemisphere,
who first threw dou%ts upon the histori!ity of the Boun!il" )e !laims that the 6irst
Buddhist Boun!il was purely a fi!tion %ut not a histori!al e&ent %e!ause althouh the
a!!ount of Subhadda is i&en %oth in the $ulavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka and in the
Mahaparinibbana Sutta of the igha-1ikaya, there is no mention of the Boun!il in
the latter, whi!h was histori!ally earlier than the former" )e also says that the la!' of
mention a%out the Boun!il in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta is as important as the first-
hand e&iden!e and so the 6irst Buddhist Boun!il !annot %e fa!tual"
>
)owe&er,
Olden%er+s denial of the histori!ity of the 6irst Buddhist Boun!il re!ei&ed !riti!isms
e&en from his westerner friends su!h as 8hys .a&ids, Kern and 8o!'hill"
?n the des!ription of Subhadda%s %lasphemous remar' a%out the Buddha, the
Maraparinibbana Sutta and the $ulavagga are found to %e in total areement with
Olden%er" (e must note, howe&er, that their purposes are not the same with
Olden%er+s@ while the Mahaparinibbana aims to des!ri%e the e&ents on the Buddha+s
last days, the $ulavagga purports to pres!ri%e the moral !ondu!t for bhikkhus" (hen
we !onsider Subhadda%s %lasphemy a%out the Buddha, it li%eled the Vinaya
(.is!ipline) rather than the hamma" Subhadda li%elled the Vinaya as follows@
-Sumutta mayam tena samayena- upadduta "a mayam homa- idam vo kappati-
idam vo na kappati61
*
E(e are well rid of that #s!eti!" (e ha&e %een oppressed %y )is sayin@ LThis
is fittin for youG that is not fittin for you"LF
This remar' is dire!tly lin'ed with the Vinaya" (hile the hamma is
indistinuisha%le amon lay men and !lery men, the Vinaya is totally meant for the
latter" So it is natural that the $ulavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka mentions not only the
name of Subhadda, who %lasphemed the Vinaya rather than the hamma %ut also the
Sangitikhandaka or the a!!ount of the Buddhist Boun!il in whi!h Subhadda played
1
Thomas (1:**)
>
Olden%er (1:>:)
*
$in"?$"48=
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his role as the &illainous instiator" 6rom this standpoint, Olden%er+s denial of the
Boun!il+s histori!ity is roundless and unrelia%le"
1
On the other hand, ,rofessor 6inot
>
and O%ermiller %elie&e that the
Pan"asatikkhandhaka was oriinally in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta %ut it was later
mo&ed into the $ulavagga and state that Olden%er was wron" #s still stroner
e&iden!e, we ha&e found out another Mahaparinibbana Sutta in the
Mulasabbatthivadasamyuttavattu, a treatise of the northern s!hool of Buddhism" This
5ahayanist Mahaparinibbana Sutta does mention the a!!ount of the Buddhist
Boun!il"
*
)ere, free thin'in is also !alled for %e!ause it is sometimes more important
than Nuotations and e&iden!e from literature" (hen the Buddha had passed away,
there must ha&e %een some tas's unfinished and not started yet in )is Tea!hins"
#mon these tas's, the followin were on the fore a!!ordin to the
Mahaparinibbana@
4
1" to edit and pro&e the two di&isions of the Buddha+s Tea!hins M
namely, the hamma and the Vinaya M as suested %y the
Buddha+s words that read, 3#fter ? ha&e passed away, the hamma
and the Vinaya will %e your tea!hers+,
>" to unanimously appro&e whi!h of the Vinaya rules to %e the minor
o%ser&an!es of the dis!ipline (khuddanukhuddaka), as suested %y
the Buddha+s ad&i!e that 3if willin, the Order of mon's may nullify
some minor rules of dis!ipline+, and
*" to pass the mon' $hanna to the senten!e of 3hihest penalty+
(brahmadanda), as ordered %y the Buddha"
<
?n order to perform these three tas's, the need must dou%tlessly ha&e arisen for
a Boun!il to %e held and for su!h elderly mon's as Thera Maha Kassapa to lead this
!oun!il" ?t would %e too unwise to re2e!t this loi!al thin'in and to deny the
histori!ity of the Boun!il" 6urthermore, the follow-up Boun!ils su!h as the Se!ond
Boun!il and so on ha&e presupposed the holdin of the 6irst Boun!il" 6or the reasons
!ited a%o&e, we ine&ita%ly rea!h a !on!lusion that the 6irst Buddhist Boun!il was real"
1
#un )tut (1:C;) p"1C=, Bapet (1::;) p"*C
>
6inot (1:*>) p">4>
*
The name of the sutta is $inaya'sudra&astu and in Ti%etan lanuae it is !alled 3)dul-ta-phran-
tshes-Ihi+" #" B" Baneree+ Sarasti&ada /iterature" Bal!utta" 1:<;" p"8:" #un )tut (1:C;) p"1C1
4
#un )tut (1:C;) p"1CC, $in"?$"484-48;, Sarattha"???"448
<
.hp"#"?"*<=, Tha"#"?"1:<
>C
?t should %e noted that, %efore we 2ump to that !on!lusion, we do not only loo'
at the disrespe!tful remar' of Subhadda %ut should thin' loi!ally of the three tas's
mentioned in the Mahaparinibbana whi!h were seeminly !auses for the immediate
Boun!il" By way of dis!ussion, we may also remem%er the $enera%le Purana who
did not 2oin the Boun!il" #!tually, the reason why the $enera%le Purana did not 2oin
the Boun!il was that the Order had passed its de!ision to allo!ate only fi&e hundred
Arahants in #ajagaha" Therefore, only when the Boun!il was su!!essfully ended
!ould the $enera%le Purana and his fi&e hundred dis!iples !ome to the Veluvana
monastery of #ajagaha" )e then !on&ersed !heerfully with the elders who were
residin in that monastery and seated himself at one pla!e" The elders as'ed him to
re&iew the hamma and the Vinaya whi!h had re!ently %een re!ited and appro&ed"
The $enera%le ,urana replied, -The Tea!hin and .is!ipline ha&e %een well-re!ited"
But as for me, ? will %ear them in mind in the way that ? ha&e re!ei&ed them in the
Buddha+s presen!e"1
1
The $enera%le Purana%s reply only meant that old as he was, he
was no loner a%le to memoriIe all the Tea!hin and .is!ipline re!ited, so he would
ha&e to satisfy himself with what he had already learnt" ?t !an %e uessed, howe&er,
that se!tarianism was on its way into the Buddha+s Tea!hin %efore the Buddha had
passed away for one year" ?t was the oriin of the two reat %ran!hes of Buddhism,
whi!h are 'nown as the northern and southern s!hools of Buddhism today"
4:15 The C!&$r(#u$(!&) !" $he F(r)$ Buddh()$ C!u&*(% $! $he Buddha+) Tea*h(&,
The 6irst Buddhist Boun!il has %enefited not only the Buddha+s Tea!hin %ut
also Buddhist literature" #lthouh the %enefits are a few in num%er, their effe!t has
%een reat" The first-found %enefit is the a!!omplishment of the tas's assined %y the
Buddha in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta" The performan!e of these tas's was done as
follow@
1" The hamma and Vinaya were !olle!ted and appro&ed throuh
Nuestionin, answerin (dis!ussion) and re!itin" By means of this, the
hamma and Vinaya, whi!h would stand for the late Buddha, were
well-defined"
>
1
$in"?$"48C
>
.4"??"
>;
>" The Vinaya rules were 'ept inta!t, due to the fa!t that it was no easy
tas' to distinuish the lesser and minor rules of the dis!iplines from the
reater and ma2or ones"
1
*" The mon' $hanna was punished with 3/rahmadanda+, whi!h was
passed on a %hi''hu who is tal'in wantonly at his own will" Su!h a
punishment is somethin li'e !astin him out of the Order" $hanna
was a %irth !ohort of the Buddha+s" By ta'in ad&antae of this, he
%e!ame diffi!ult to deal with" The Buddha in )is life time had
pres!ri%ed a law !alled 3dubba"a+ with relation to him" #fter punishin
him with 3/rahmadanda+, $hanna !ame to realiIe his own fault and
turned into an Arahant"
>

#s reards these thins, /hikkhu &inananda !laims that the pro!eedins of the
6irst Buddhist Boun!il a!hie&ed four results@
1" the settlement of the Vinaya under the leadership of Thera 2pali,
>" the settlement of the teDts of the hamma under the leadership of Thera
Ananda,
*" the trial of Thera Ananda, and
4" the punishment of Thera $hanna"
*
This s!holar did not mention anythin a%out the lesser and minor rules of the
dis!ipline" (hat it may ha&e %een, we !annot deny that the pro!edures and out!omes
of the 6irst Buddhist Boun!il were in a!!ordan!e with the Buddha+s words" These
were the immediate results of the Boun!il"
The 6irst Boun!il did well in the lon run, tooG the su!!essi&e Buddhist
Boun!ils were all the !onseNuen!es of the 6irst Boun!il M the Se!ond Boun!il that
was held in Vesali one hundred years later and the Third Boun!il that was held in
Patiliputta two hundred years later" The Se!ond Buddhist Boun!il was held in
response to dasavatthu Vinaya matters (ten indulen!es)" The Third Buddhist Boun!il
was held to sol&e the !ounter-%eliefs that had arisen in the Buddha+s Tea!hin"
Aenerally spea'in, %oth these Boun!ils were held in response to different opinions
a%out the two %asi! di&isions of the Buddha+s Tea!hin M the .hamma and $inaya"
The Boun!illors who parti!ipated in these two Boun!ils were !learly influential, as
mu!h as those who parti!ipated in the 6irst Buddhist Boun!il" ?t is %e!ause the later
1
$in"?$"48<-48C
>
$in"?$"48;, .hp"#"?"*<=, Tha"#"?"1:<
*
Bapat (1::;) p"*>, #un )tut (1:C;) p"1C1-1C>
>8
enerations had faith in the !apa!ity of the Boun!illors of the 6irst Synod who
preser&ed the Buddha+s .o!trines as tauht %y the Buddha" This faith helped the
!lerymen and laymen who followed the Buddha+s Tea!hin to dispel all the dou%ts
!on!ernin the matters of the hamma and Vinaya" This is an in!al!ula%le %enefit and
!ontri%ution of the 6irst Boun!il to the Buddha+s Tea!hin"
>: