Asoka and Third Buddhist Council

Gautam Buddha before passing away told his closest disciple Ananda that:

Now, Ānanda, if it occurs to any of you that the teaching has lost its arbitrator, we are without a teacher- do not view it in that way. Whatever Dhamma and Vinaya I have pointed out and formulated for you, that will be your teacher when I am gone.

But as soon as Buddha achieved Mahaparinirwana a monk named Subhadda voiced his relief : ‘We are well rid of this great recluse the Buddha’. He showed his resentment on the way strictness was applied on the monks in the Buddhist Sangha. ‘Enough he said, enough of these rules – ‘this is allowed, that is not allowed’. 

The elder monk Mahakassapa heard about this, he was alarmed as to sanctity and purity of Dhamma being in danger of corruption. He decided that teachings and discipline must be protected and called for a council of five hundred enlightened monks. 

The First Council was held near Saptvarni Cave in Rajgir in modern day Bihar under the patronage of King Ajatsattu.

Venerable Ananda was very close to the Buddha, had excellent memory and had just reached Arhantship, Venerable Upali was well versed in rules and affairs of Sangha.

During this Council meeting both Ananda and Upali recited the sermons of Buddha as also rules applicable to Dhamma and Vinaya respectively. All sermons were properly recited and agreed to unanimously. 

Second Council 

This council was a historical event and was held after one hundred years of the first one. This was held at Vesali in modern day Bihar under the patronage of King Kalasoka. This Council was presided over by Sabbakami. Seven hundred Arhants participated in the Council.

The Council had an agenda whether Vinaya rules could be relaxed. Of the Ten Points two were serious issues. One serious item was that monks were collecting money, gold and silver jewellery while going for alms from lay people. Second was following certain practice which allowed the monks to ignore Vinaya as their teacher did so.

Those monks who were not following the Vinaya and calling themselves liberal were called Sthaviras but were in minority. Orthodox monks who were abiding by the Vinaya were in majority and were called Mahasanghikas. 

Four monks of each group deliberated the issue and subsequently Second Council decided unanimously that Vinaya rules will not be relaxed.

The Third Council

The third Buddhist council took place in Asokarama, Patliputta under the royal patronage of King Asoka. This was held in about 250 BCE which was 17^th year of rule of King Asoka. The meeting was presided over by Venerable Mogalliputta Tissa. One thousand monks participated in the council and the proceedings took nine months to complete.

Background of the third council is as follows. As interest of King Asoka deepened in teachings of Buddha he started supporting Dhamma. Monk Nigrodha is said to have influenced King Asoka considerably in to Dhamma. King Asoka used his enormous wealth to build 84000 pagodas, viharas, stupas and to support prominent monks. 

This caused many unethical persons to join Sangha and corrupt practices increased. Generosity of King Asoka was misused. Besides there were about 18 different schools of Buddhism at that time and their practices differed. 

As these things came to light genuine monks refused to perform Upostha ceremony in presence of heretic monks. King Asoka sent a minister to see that ceremony is completed. However, minister killed non-performing monks but dared not kill Tissa. He rushed back to inform king. 

King Asoka heard all this and asked Mogallana Tissa to set the house in order. Tissa wanted all heretics to be thrown out and requested for third council to be convened. In this background the council was held. Bogus and heretic members were expelled. Emperor Ashoka himself took great interest in the proceedings and helped in cleaning up the Sangha. 

This third council achieved a number of results. Corrupt persons were remove and Tissa compiled a book Kathavattu refuting heretical charges on Dhamma & Vinaya. This book was included as fifth of the seven books of Abhidhamma Pitaka. .

Later King Asoka selected learned monks and sent them to nine different regions for missionary work. He sent his own daughter Sanghmitta and son Mahindra to Srilanka. Dhamma missions to Srilanka, Kashmir and Gandhara were very successful.