Prompted by the words of the monk who had gone forth in old age, Mahākassapa resolves to assemble the community to collect and recite the Buddha's Dhamma and Vinaya; the Council is held at Rājagaha. Here this event is listed only as a pointer to what followed and is not narrated. Pali Canon
Different Accounts
Timing: the later commentaries of the Southern tradition say the resolve was formed on the day the were divided; the Chinese Bannihuan jing says after ninety days; the Chinese Mahīśāsaka Vinaya says not long after the Buddha's passing, when Mahākassapa was at Vesālī.
More differences between accounts (1)
The Mahāparinibbāna Sutta of the Southern tradition and the Chinese Youxing jing do not record the Council; the Vinaya of the Southern tradition, the various Chinese Vinayas, the Chinese Fo bannihuan jing and Bannihuan jing, and the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra translated by Faxian all do.
Dating
The Buddha has already passed away (aged eighty at his passing); this is still counted in Year 45 after the Awakening, after the ; the date differs between sources; listed only as a pointer, known only to fall not long after the passing.
Related Entries
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Research Notes: Reliability, Dating and Sources
- How Reliability Is Assessed
Recorded in the sutras and Vinayas of several schools. Attested across multiple schools.
- Dating Evidence and Precision
Source of the year not recorded. Time precision: month only.
Sources
- 藏譯（德格版）德格版 D6 da 301a3–301a7
- 藏譯（德格版）德格版 D6 da 301a4
- Pali Canon巴利律 Kd 21Entire text
- 大正藏大正藏 T01 no.5 p.175a
- 大正藏大正藏 T01 no.6 p.190c
- 大正藏大正藏 T01 no.7 p.207c
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1451 p.402c