Buddist councils

• The council held under the patronage of various rulers and chaired by different monks.
• The agenda of these councils was to conserve the sanctity of Buddhism and to spread the religion.
• In total, six councils have been held in Buddhism.

1. First Buddhist council: 483 BC

• Please:  Sattapanni caves in rajgriha.
• Patron: king ajatshatru (haranyska Dynasty)
• Chairman: monk mahakasyapa.
• The agenda: To preserve the teachings(sutta) of the Buddha and the monastic discipline and guidelines for monks(Vinaya).
• It was held Just after the death of the Buddha.
• Result: Suttas and Vinaya were recited by the monks Ananda and upali respectively.

2.Second Buddhist council: 383 BC

• Place: vaisali
• Patron: kalasoka ( shisunaga dynasty)
• Chairman: sabakami
• Agenda: To settle the disagreements of different subdivisions.
• Result: schisms into sthaviravadins and mahasanghika.

3.Third Buddhist council 250BC

• Place: pataliputra in the magadha Kingdom.
• Patron: Emperor Ashoka.
• Chairman: moggaliputta Tissa
• Agenda: To analyse the different schools of Buddhism and to purify them.
• Result: compilation of abbhidhamma potaka and Ashoka sent several groups to different countries to spread Buddhism after this council.

4.Fourth Buddhist council: 72AD

• Place: Kashmir.
• Patron: Emperor Kanishka
• Chairman: vasumitra and Asvaghosa.
• Agenda: The reconciliation of various conflicts between different schools of thought.
• Result: Division of Buddhism into hinayana and Mahayana sects.

5.Fifth Buddhist council: 1871

• Place: Mandalay in Myanmar, then called Burma.
• Patron: king Mindon of the Kingdom of Burma.
• Chairman: jagarabhivamsa, narindabhidhaja, and sumangalasami.
• Agenda: To recite all the Buddhist learning and scratinize them in minuscule details.
• This council is largely not recognised outside of Myanmar as no major Buddhist countries apart from Burma had representatives attending the council.

6.Six Buddhist council: 1954

• Place: Kaba aye in Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma).
• Patron: prime minister U.Nu of the republic of Myanmar.
• Chairman: mahadi sayadaw  and bhadanta vicittasarabhivsmsa.
• Agenda: To upload and preserve the authentic Dhamma and Vinaya of buddhism.
• A special maha passana Guha (cave) was built in Myanmar which was similar to the cave where the first Buddhist was held.