Buddhist Councils Patron President Outcome

Four Buddhist Councils Patron / Convener - President - Outcome

1St  Buddhist  Council -	483 B.C.  Held at Rajagriha	Ajatha Shatru was the contemporary king.	Presided over by Mahakassapa Purpose: to document the teaching of Buddha. Outcome: * Sutta pitaka (Buddha`s sayings) was compiled by Ananda. * Vinaya Pitaka was compiled by Upali.
2nd  Buddhist  Council	383 B.C. Held at Vaishali	Kalashoka was the contemporary king. Maha Badanta Sabakami presided over the 4th Buddhist Sangithi.	Purpose: to settle the disputes between 2 groups of monks. (Avanti (Western) X Vajji (Eastern)). Outcome: Buddhism witnessed 1st schism. Avanti monks- Theravadins. Vajji monks- Mahasanghikas.
3rd  Buddhist  Council	250 B.C. Held at Pataliputhra.	President: Mogaliputta Tissa. Asoka was the contemporary king.	Purpose: Private affair of the monks. Outcome: * Abidamma pitaka. • Mahasaghikas (Vajji monks) were expelled from Buddhist order. Sthaviravaadins (Avanti monks) were declared as the original Buddhist monks. • Decision was taken to send missionaries both outside and inside India.
4th  Buddhist  Council	1st Century A.D. Held at Kundalavana (Kashmir) (May be Jhulandar in Punjab)	President: Vasumithra. Vice President: Ashwagosha. Kanishka was the contemporary king.	Purpose: Summoned to unite all the Buddhist sects.  Outcome- Partial success. There were 18 groups in Buddhism at that time. All the groups were brought together and formed 2 groups. 1. Hinayana Buddhism 2. Mahayaana Buddhism. Theravadins, sammatiya sect and sauthanthrika sect merged into Hinayanism. Mahasanghikas led the Mahayaana group. They merged into Mahayaana group. Chaithyakas (A.P.), Uttarashaila (A.P.), Poorva shaila (A.P.), Apara shaila (A.P.), Rajagirikas (A.P.), Sarvashavadins (Kashmir Buddhist sect, which was patroned by Kanishka) merged into Mahayaanism. 4th Buddhist council was the only council where discussions were taken place in Sanskrit language.

4 Buddhist councils details
Complete details of 4 Buddhist councils.