History of Buddhism
...(meaning enlightened one), he wandered from place to place, preaching, spreading his teachings by word of mouth. He also gained disciples, who were grouped into a monastic community known as a sangha. As he neared his death, Buddha refused a successor. He told his followers to work hard to find their salvation. After his death, it was decided that a new way to keep the community's unity and purity was needed, since the teachings of Buddha were spoken only. To maintain peace, the monastic order met to decide on matters of Buddhist doctrines and practice. Four of these meetings are considered to be the Four Major Councils. The first major council was presided over by Mahakasyapa, a Buddhist monk. The purpose of the first council was to preach and agree on Buddha's teachings and monastic discipline. The second major council supposedly met at Vaisali, one hundred years after the first. The purpose of this council was to answer the ten questionable acts of the monks of the Vajjian Confederacy. The use of money, drinking wine, and other irregularities were among the acts. It was decided that the practices were unlawful. This decision has been found to be the cause of the division of the Buddhists. The accounts of the meeting describe a quarrel between the Mahasanghikas (Great Assembly) and the Sthaviras (Elders). Tensions had grown within the sangha over discipline, the role of laity, and the nature of arhat. Pataliputra, now Patna, was the sight of the third council. It was called by King Asoka in the 3rd century BC, and was convened by Moggaliptta. The purpose was the purify the sangha of the false monks and heretics who had joined the order because of its royal associations. During the council, the compilations of the Buddhist scriptures (Tipitaka) and the body of subtle philosophy (abhidharma) to the dharma and monastic discipline were completed. Missionaries were sent forth to many countries as a result of the council. King Kanishka patronized the fourth council in 100 AD. Historians are not sure if it was held at either Kasmir or Jalanhar. Both divisions of Buddhism are said to have participated in the council. The council tried to establish peace between them. However, neither side was willing to give in. Because of this, the religion divided into many sects, including the traditional eighteen schools. The traditional eighteen schools of Buddhism were a result of different interpretations of Buddhist teachings. Together, these divisions were seen as too conservative and literal towards the teachings of Buddha. Theravada was considered too individualistic and unconcerned with the needs of the laity. It caused a liberal wing of the sangha to break away from the rest of the monks during the second council. Original group of monks continued their honoring of Buddha as a perfectly enlightened human teacher. However, the liberal Mahasanghikas developed a new interpretation. They began to think of Buddha as an eternal, all powerful being. Believing the human Buddha was an apparition sent down for human benefit, the Mahasanghikas began Mahayana. Not even the names of Mahayana's founders are known. Historians argue whether or not the new sect began in southern or northwestern India. However, they have narrowed the date to in between the 2nd century BC and the 1st century AD. Beliefs in a godlike Buddha continued well past the era of Christianity and came together in the Mahayana doctrine of threefold nature. Buddhism spread throughout Asia after the two divisions came about. King Asoka's children, Mahinda and Sanghamitta, are responsible for the Buddhist conversion of Sri Lanka. During the reign of Asoka, it is said that Theravada was introduced to Burma by Sri Lanka, around 5th century AD. Burma spread Theravada to Thailand in the 6th century. Cambodia was influenced by Mahayana and Hinduism at the end of the 2nd century. Nearly one-thousand two- hundred years later, Theravada became the primary religion. At the beginning of the Christian era, Buddhism was introduced to Central Asia. From there, it entered China through trade routes. It influenced and adapted to Chinese culture. It was opposed by many, though, and its followers were persecuted at times. Buddhism's major...