Dg Kd 21Council of the Five Hundred

– THE FOUR-PART VINAYA

THE COUNCIL OF FIVE HUNDRED

After the Blessed One had passed into parinirvana in the grove of sala trees, in the garden of the Mallas, at the city of Kusinara, the Mallas washed the relics of the Buddha, wrapped them in clean cotton cloth, and wound five hundred layers of silk in successive order around them. They placed the relics in an iron casket, poured fragrant oil to fill it completely, then set the relics within and sealed the lid. They then fashioned a wooden outer coffin and placed the iron casket inside it.

Beneath it they piled a mound of fragrant wood. At that time, the chief of the Mallas took up fire to ignite it. Just then, the devas caused the fire to go out.

Other great Malla chiefs in turn took up large torches to light it, but the devas extinguished the flames each time. Anuruddha said to the Mallas:

"There is no need to toil in this way. The devas are extinguishing your fire."

They asked Anuruddha:

"Venerable sir, why do the devas extinguish the fire?"

Anuruddha replied:

"Because the Elder Mahakassapa, together with a great assembly of five hundred bhikkhus, is presently on the road coming here, still travelling between the two countries of Pava and Kusinara. The Elder thought, 'Might I be able to see the relics of the Buddha before the cremation?' The devas, knowing Kassapa's thought, have therefore extinguished the fire."

The Mallas said:

"Venerable Anuruddha, let us pause for now and comply with the wish of the devas."

At that time, Mahakassapa, together with a great assembly of five hundred bhikkhus, was travelling on the road between those two countries when he encountered a Nigantha who was carrying a branch of mandara flowers, coming from the opposite direction from the place where the Blessed One had passed into nirvana. Kassapa saw him and asked:

"Where have you come from?"

The man replied:

"I have come from the city of Kusinara."

Kassapa asked further:

"Do you know our Blessed One?"

He replied:

"I do."

He was asked again:

"Is he still in the world?"

He replied:

"He is no longer in the world. He passed into nirvana seven days ago. I have come from there carrying this flower branch."

Upon hearing this, Kassapa was displeased. Among those present, the bhikkhus who had not yet abandoned sensual desire, upon hearing that the Blessed One had passed into nirvana, threw themselves to the ground. Just as a tree is felled at its root and falls, so too did those who had not yet abandoned desire. They lamented:

"Alas! How swiftly the Sublime One has passed into nirvana! Alas! How quickly the bright eye of the world has been extinguished! Alas! Can it be that the True Dharma we uphold will utterly perish?"

Some rolled upon the ground, just like a log. Those bhikkhus who had not yet abandoned desire were just so. Weeping and lamenting sorrowfully, they cried:

"Alas! How swiftly the Sublime One has passed into nirvana!"

At that time, Bhadda Nandaka, a son of the Sakyans, was also in the assembly and said to the bhikkhus:

"Enough! Elders, weep no more, do not grieve excessively. We have now escaped that old man. While he was alive, he always instructed us: 'This is proper; this is improper. You must do this; you must not do this.' Now we are free to act as we wish. If we wish to do something, we do it; if we do not wish to, we refrain."

Mahakassapa, hearing this, was displeased, and then addressed the bhikkhus:

"Rise up! Quickly take your robes and bowls so that we may still see the relics of the Blessed One before the cremation."

The bhikkhus, hearing Kassapa's words, hastily gathered their robes and bowls and set off. Mahakassapa, together with the five hundred, arrived at the city of Kusinara, passed out of the city, crossed the Hiranyavati River, and arrived at the Devatika Shrine, the place of the Venerable Ananda, saying:

"Ananda, I wish to see the relics of the Blessed One in time, before the cremation."

The Venerable Ananda replied:

"To see the relics of the Blessed One before the cremation in time — that is truly difficult. Why is this? The relics of the Blessed One have already been bathed, wrapped in new cotton cloth, wound successively with five hundred layers of silk, placed in an iron casket filled with fragrant oil, and then placed inside a wooden outer coffin. Beneath the outer coffin a mound of fragrant wood has been piled. The cremation is about to commence. Therefore it is difficult to see."

At that time, Mahakassapa walked slowly to the place where the iron casket containing the Buddha's relics lay. Thereupon, the casket and the outer coffin opened of themselves, and the feet of the Blessed One were revealed. Mahakassapa, seeing a stain on the wheel-mark beneath the foot of the Blessed One, asked the Venerable Ananda:

"The countenance of the Blessed One is noble and pure, his body is the color of gold — who has soiled the wheel-mark beneath his feet?"

The Venerable Ananda replied to Mahakassapa:

"Venerable Kassapa, the heart of a woman is tender. When she reverently paid homage to the Blessed One, she wept. Tears fell there, and she grasped his foot with her hand, thus soiling the foot of the Blessed One."

Mahakassapa, upon hearing this, was displeased. He then reverently paid homage at the feet of the Blessed One. Bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, upasakas, upasikas, devas, and the great assembly all likewise paid homage at the feet of the Blessed One. Thereupon, the feet of the Blessed One were drawn back into the iron casket and were no longer visible. Mahakassapa grieved and lamented, spoke a verse, circumambulated the iron casket seven times, and then the fire ignited spontaneously without being lit.

After Mahakassapa had performed the funeral rites for the cremation of the relics, by reason of this cause and condition he assembled the bhikkhu Sangha and recounted:

"On the road as we were coming here, I heard Bhadda Nandaka say to the bhikkhus: 'Enough! Elders, weep no more, do not grieve excessively. We have now escaped that old man. While he was alive, he always instructed us: This is proper, this is improper; you must do this, you must not do this. Now we are free to act as we wish. If we wish to do something, we do it; if we do not wish to, we refrain.'"

Mahakassapa said:

"Now let us together recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya. Let it not be that the wanderers of other sects say many things to disparage us, declaring, 'The Dhamma and Vinaya of the ascetic Gotama are like smoke. While that Blessed One was alive, everyone together studied the precepts. Now that he has passed away, there is no one to study the precepts any longer.' Elders, let us now select bhikkhus of great learning and wisdom, those who are arhats."

At that time, four hundred and ninety-nine bhikkhus were selected, all of them arhats of great learning and wisdom. The bhikkhus proposed:

"The Venerable Ananda should be chosen among them."

Mahakassapa said:

"Do not choose Ananda for this."

They asked:

"Why is that?"

He replied:

"Because Ananda still has attachment, aversion, fear, and delusion. One who has attachment, aversion, fear, and delusion should not be chosen for this."

The bhikkhus then said:

"The Venerable Ananda attended upon the Buddha, constantly accompanied the Buddha, and personally received the teachings directly from the Blessed One. In all places where there were doubts, he surely inquired of the Blessed One. Therefore he should be chosen among them."

And so the Venerable One was chosen to be included among them.

The bhikkhus all considered: "We should select a place where we may assemble to recite the Dhamma and the Vinaya — a place where food, drink, and furnishings are fully and amply provided." They all agreed: "Only the city of Rajagaha is such a place, where lodgings, food, drink, and furnishings are fully and abundantly provided. Let us now go there to assemble for the recitation of the Dhamma and the Vinaya."

Thereupon, Mahakassapa made the formal announcement:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! These bhikkhus have been appointed by the Sangha. If the time is right for the Sangha, and the Sangha approves, the Sangha shall now go to the city of Rajagaha to assemble for the recitation of the Dhamma and the Vinaya. This is the formal announcement."

After the announcement was made, they all proceeded to Vesali.

At that time, Ananda was on the road, and in a quiet place he reflected inwardly: "Just as a newborn calf still nursing milk travels together with five hundred full-grown cattle, so too am I. Still a stream-entrant with work yet to be done, yet travelling together with five hundred arhats!"

By this time, the Elders had all arrived at Vesali. Ananda was also dwelling at Vesali. Bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, upasakas, upasikas, kings, ministers, brahmins, and wanderers of other sects all came to visit and pay their respects. The assembly gathered in great numbers.

At that time, there was a bhikkhu called Vajjiputta, of great spiritual power, who had attained the divine eye and could know the minds of others. He thought: "Now Ananda is also dwelling at Vesali. Bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, upasakas, upasikas, kings, ministers, brahmins, and wanderers of other sects all come to visit and pay their respects. The assembly gathers in great numbers. Let me now observe whether Ananda is one with desire or one without desire." After observing, he knew that Ananda was one with desire and not without desire. The bhikkhu then thought: "Now I should cause Ananda to give rise to a mind of disenchantment." Wishing to cause the Venerable Ananda to give rise to a mind of disenchantment, Vajjiputta then spoke this verse:

Venerable Ānanda, having heard the bhikkhu Vajjiputta teach the Dharma of disenchantment, then dwelt alone in seclusion, striving diligently without heedlessness, serene and undisturbed. This was an unprecedented occurrence for Ānanda. At that time, Venerable Ānanda, in an open place, had spread out a rope bed, and for most of the night walked in meditation. When it was nearly dawn, as the signs of morning were about to appear, his body grew weary, and he thought: "Now I am overly tired; I need to sit for a moment." Having thought this, he sat down; then he inclined himself, wishing to lie down. In that very instant, as his head had not yet reached the pillow, his mind suddenly attained the liberation free from all taints. This was an unprecedented occurrence for Venerable Ānanda.

Having attained arhatship, Ānanda then spoke these verses:

The bhikkhus who had come from Vesālī to Rājagaha said:

"Before we rehearse the Dharma and the Vinaya, what should we do first? Shall we first repair the dwelling places and bed furnishings, or shall we first rehearse the Dharma and Vinaya?"

All said: first repair the dwelling places and bed furnishings.

At that time, Mahākassapa, on account of this matter, assembled the community of bhikkhus. Among them, Thera Dahilakassapa served as the first Elder. Thera Pāvāna was the second Elder. Mahākassapa was the third Elder. Thera Mahācunda was the fourth Elder.

At that time, Mahākassapa, knowing the Sangha's business, made the formal announcement:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! If it is the proper time for the Sangha and the Sangha consents, the Sangha has now assembled to rehearse the Dharma and the Vinaya. This is the formal announcement."

At that time, Venerable Ānanda rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, touched his right knee to the ground, joined his palms together, and addressed Mahākassapa:

"I directly heard from the Buddha, and I remember that the Buddha taught: 'From now on, allow the bhikkhus to abandon the minor and lesser rules.'"

Kassapa asked Ānanda:

"Did you ask the Blessed One which rules were the minor and lesser rules?"

Venerable Ānanda replied:

"At that time I was overcome with grief and forgot; I did not ask about that."

The bhikkhus all said:

"Come. I will tell you what is among the minor and lesser rules."

Some said: apart from the four pārājikas, the rest are the minor and lesser rules. Some said: apart from the four pārājikas and the thirteen matters, the rest are the minor and lesser rules. Some said: apart from the four pārājikas, the thirteen matters, and the two indeterminate cases, the rest are the minor and lesser rules. Some said: apart from the four pārājikas, the thirteen matters, the two indeterminate cases, and the thirty matters, the rest are the minor and lesser rules. Some said: apart from the four pārājikas up through the ninety matters, the rest are the minor and lesser rules. Mahākassapa said to the bhikkhus:

"Venerable Elders! Now within this assembly each person speaks differently, and it is not known which rules are the minor and lesser rules. From this time forward, we should jointly establish the following agreement: 'Whatever the Buddha did not previously prohibit, we should not now prohibit. Whatever the Buddha previously prohibited, we should not now abolish. We should follow and train according to what the Buddha has prescribed.'"

The entire assembly established this rule accordingly.

Mahākassapa said to Ānanda:

"You were the first to beseech the Buddha to allow women to go forth and take ordination in the Buddha's Dharma—you incurred an offense of duṣkṛta. Now you should confess it."

Venerable Ānanda replied:

"Venerable sir, this I did not do deliberately. Mahāprajāpatī had great kindness toward the Buddha. When the Buddha's mother passed away, she nursed and raised the Blessed One. Venerable sir, in this matter I do not myself see any fault. But out of reverence and trust in the Venerable Elder, I now confess it."

Venerable Kassapa again said:

"You caused the Blessed One to ask you three times to serve as his attendant, yet you said you would not do it—you incurred an offense of duṣkṛta. Now you should confess it."

Venerable Ānanda replied to Mahākassapa:

"This I did not do deliberately. Because serving as the Buddha's attendant is an extremely difficult task, I said I was unable to do it. In this matter I do not myself see any fault. But out of reverence and trust in the Venerable Elder, I now confess it."

Venerable Kassapa again said:

"You mended the Blessed One's saṅghāṭī robe, using your foot to press and mend it—you incurred an offense of duṣkṛta. Now you must confess it."

Ānanda replied to Venerable Kassapa:

"This I did not do deliberately. It was not that I did so with a disrespectful mind. Since there was no one to hold it, I had to do it that way. In this matter I do not myself see any fault. But out of reverence and trust in the Venerable Elder, I now confess it."

Kassapa said:

"When the Blessed One was about to enter nirvana, he spoke to you three times. You did not beseech the Blessed One to remain in the world for a kalpa or more than a kalpa, for the benefit of countless beings, out of compassion for the world, for the happiness and well-being of gods and humans. You incurred an offense of duṣkṛta. Now you must confess it."

Venerable Ānanda said:

"Venerable Kassapa, this was not something I did deliberately; it was because Māra obscured my mind, causing me not to beseech the Buddha to remain in the world further. In this matter I do not myself see any fault, but out of reverence and trust in the Venerable Elder, I now confess it."

Kassapa again said:

"The Blessed One instructed you to fetch water, yet you did not fetch it—you incurred an offense of duṣkṛta. Now you must confess it."

Ānanda said:

"This was not something I did deliberately. At that time, five hundred carts had passed through the stream above, so the water had become turbid. I feared that if the Blessed One drank it he would become ill, and so I did not fetch it."

Kassapa said:

"Had you fetched it at that time, either through the Buddha's supernatural power, or through the agency of the gods, the water would have become clear."

Ānanda said:

"In this matter I do not myself see any fault. But out of reverence and trust in the Venerable Elder, I now confess it."

Kassapa again said:

"You did not ask the Blessed One which rules are the minor and lesser rules—you incurred an offense of duṣkṛta. Now you should confess it."

Ānanda said:

"This was not something I did deliberately; it was because at that time I was overcome with grief and did not remember to ask the Blessed One which rules were the minor and lesser rules. In this matter I do not myself see any fault. But out of reverence and trust in the Venerable Elder, I now confess it."

Kassapa again said:

"You did not restrain the women, and allowed them to defile the Buddha's feet. You incurred an offense of duṣkṛta. Now you must confess it."

Venerable Ānanda said:

"This was not something I did deliberately; it was because the women, being tender-hearted, wept while reverently bowing at the Buddha's feet, wiping their tears with their hands and thereby defiling the Buddha's feet. In this matter I do not myself see any fault. But out of reverence and trust in the Venerable Elder, I now confess it."

At that time, Mahākassapa made the formal announcement:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! If it is the proper time for the Sangha and the Sangha consents, the Sangha shall now question Upāli on the Dharma-Vinaya. This is the formal announcement."

At that time Upāli made the formal announcement:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! If it is the proper time for the Sangha and the Sangha consents, the Sangha shall have the Elder Kassapa ask the questions, and I shall answer. This is the formal announcement."

Mahākassapa then posed the question:

"The first pārājika rule—where did the occasion for it first arise? Who was the first person to transgress it?"

Upāli replied:

"The occasion first arose at Vesālī. Sudinna, son of Kalandaka, was the first to transgress it."

"The second rule—where did the occasion for it first arise?"

"At Rājagaha. The bhikkhu Dhaniya, son of the potter, was the first to transgress it."

Again he asked:

"The third rule—where did the occasion for it first arise?"

"At Vesālī. The bhikkhus by the Vaggumudā River were the first to transgress it."

Again he asked:

"The fourth rule—where did the occasion for it first arise?"

"At Vesālī. The bhikkhus by the Vaggumudā River were the first to transgress it."

Again he asked:

"The first saṅghādisesa rule—where did the occasion for it first arise?"

"In the country of Sāvatthī. Kāḷudāyi was the first to transgress it."

Thus, in sequence, according to the places of first arising as stated in the preceding section.

Again he asked:

"The first indeterminate rule—where did the occasion for it first arise?"

"In the country of Sāvatthī. The first to transgress it was Kāḷudāyi."

The second indeterminate rule was likewise.

Again he asked:

"The niḥsargika-pācittiya rules—where did the occasion for them first arise?"

"In the country of Sāvatthī. The group of six bhikkhus were the first to transgress them."

Thus, in sequence, as stated in the preceding section.

Again he asked:

"The pācittiya rules—where did the occasion for them first arise?"

"At Saketa. The bhikkhu Hastisena, a son of the Śākyas, was the first to transgress them."

Thus, in sequence, as stated in the preceding section.

Again he asked:

"The pratideśanīya rules—where did the occasion for them first arise?"

"In the country of Sāvatthī. The bhikkhunī Uppalavaṇṇā was the occasion for their arising."

The second, third, and fourth, as stated in the preceding section.

Again he asked:

"The first of the śaikṣa-dharma rules—where did the occasion for it first arise?"

"In the country of Sāvatthī. The group of six bhikkhus were the first to transgress it."

Thus, in sequence, as stated in the preceding section.

The rules specific to bhikkhunīs, as stated in the Vinaya.

Again he asked:

"First, where did the permission to receive full ordination originate, and what was its cause?"

"At Benares, with the five bhikkhus."

Then it was asked again:

"Where was the recitation of the Pātimokkha first permitted?"

"At Rājagaha, on account of the younger bhikkhus."

Again it was asked:

"Where was the Rains-retreat first permitted?"

"In the land of Sāvatthī. The group of six bhikkhus was the cause."

Again it was asked:

"Where did the origin of the Pavāraṇā first arise?"

"In the land of Sāvatthī. The group of six bhikkhus was the cause."

In this manner they continued to ask in succession, all the way through the Vinaya-ekottara.

At that time, the assembled ones collected all the matters pertaining to bhikkhus into one group, calling it the "Bhikkhu Vinaya." The matters pertaining to bhikkhunīs were collected into one group, calling it the "Bhikkhunī Vinaya." All the rules relating to ordination were collected into one group, calling it the "Khandhaka on Ordination." All the rules of the Uposatha were collected into one group, calling it the "Khandhaka on Uposatha." All the rules of the Rains-retreat were collected into one group, calling it the "Khandhaka on the Rains-retreat." All the rules of the Pavāraṇā were collected into one group, calling it the "Khandhaka on Pavāraṇā." All the rules relating to the use of leather goods were collected into one group,

calling it the "Khandhaka on Leather." All the rules relating to robes were collected into one group, calling it the "Khandhaka on Robes." All the rules relating to the use of medicines were collected into one group, calling it the "Khandhaka on Medicines." All the rules relating to the Kaṭhina robe were collected into one group, calling it the "Khandhaka on the Kaṭhina Robe." The two codes of Vinaya, together with all the Khandhakas, the Parivāra, and the Vinaya-ekottara, were collected together and called the "Vinaya Piṭaka."

At that time, the Venerable Mahā-Kassapa then made the formal announcement:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! If it is agreeable to the Sangha and the time is suitable, the Sangha hereby consents that the Sangha question Ānanda on the Dhamma and Vinaya. This is the formal announcement."

Thereupon the Venerable Ānanda made the formal announcement:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! If it is agreeable to the Sangha and the time is suitable, the Sangha hereby consents that the Sangha have Mahā-Kassapa ask, and I shall answer. This is the formal announcement."

The Venerable Kassapa then questioned Ānanda:

"Where was the Brahmajāla Sutta spoken? Where was the Ekottara spoken? Where was the Dasottara spoken? Where was the sutta on the arising and passing away of the world spoken? Where was the Saṅgīti Sutta spoken? Where was the Mahānidāna Sutta spoken? Where was the sutta on the questions of Sakka, Lord of the Devas, spoken?"

The Venerable Ānanda answered each of these questions just as it is stated in the Dīrghāgama.

The assembled ones then collected all the long suttas together and called them the "Dīrghāgama"; all the middle-length suttas were called the "Madhyamāgama." From one topic up to ten topics, and from ten topics to eleven topics, these were called the "Ekottara." Gathering those matters relating to bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, devas, Sakka, Māra, and Brahmā, these were collected together and called the "Saṃyuktāgama."

Suttas such as: the Jātaka suttas, the Itivuttaka suttas, the Nidāna suttas of good persons, the Vaipulya suttas, the Adbhutadharma suttas, the Avadāna suttas, the Upadesa suttas, the Artha suttas, the Dhammapada, the Pārāyana suttas, the Saṃyukta-praśna suttas, and the Āryagāthā suttas — all such suttas were collected together to form the Khuddaka Piṭaka. Those bound together by questions and non-questions in mutual correspondence were collected together to form the Abhidharma Piṭaka. At that time, the teachings of the Buddha were thus collected together into the Three Piṭakas.

At that time, the Elder Purāṇa heard that at Rājagaha five hundred arhats had assembled together to compile the Dhamma and Vinaya. He accordingly came with five hundred bhikkhus to Rājagaha, to where the Venerable Mahā-Kassapa was, and said:

"I have heard that the Venerable One, together with five hundred arhats, has assembled to compile the Dhamma and Vinaya. I also wish to participate and hear the Dhamma."

Mahā-Kassapa, on account of this, assembled the bhikkhu Sangha, and for this number of bhikkhus he again questioned Upāli, until the Three Piṭakas were compiled as described above.

Purāṇa said to the Venerable Kassapa:

"I am in agreement with everything, except for eight matters. Venerable Sir, I myself heard directly from the Buddha and I remember clearly without forgetting: the Buddha permitted storing food overnight, cooking food within the monastic boundary, cooking food oneself, taking food oneself, eating at dawn, receiving food brought from another place, eating mixed fruits, and eating what is edible that comes from pond water flowing out. In these eight cases, the Buddha permitted eating without the performance of the residual-food act."

Mahā-Kassapa replied:

"What you say is indeed true. The Blessed One, during a time of crop failure, when rice was scarce and people suffered from hunger and alms-food was difficult to obtain, out of compassion for the bhikkhus, permitted these eight things at that time. When there was a good harvest and food and provisions were abundant, the Buddha then laid down a prohibition, no longer permitting such conduct."

Purāṇa then said:

"Venerable Kassapa, the Blessed One is the one possessed of omniscient vision; he would never prohibit something and then reopen it, or open something and then prohibit it again."

Mahā-Kassapa replied:

"It is precisely because the Blessed One possesses omniscient vision that he would prohibit and then reopen, or open and then prohibit again. Purāṇa, we should establish this as our guiding rule: what the Buddha has not forbidden, we should not forbid; what the Buddha has laid down as a prohibition, we should not abolish. We should follow and train in accordance with the precepts laid down by the Buddha."

At Rājagaha, five hundred arhats assembled together to compile the Dhamma and Vinaya; therefore it is called: "The Compilation of the Dhamma and Vinaya by Five Hundred Persons."

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Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART VINAYA, PART ONE.

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng.

(Chinese translation, fascicles 1–21; Vietnamese translation, fascicles 1 and 2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002.