Mi Kd 19Council of the Seven Hundred

Explanation of the Khandhaka of the Seven Hundred

Background

The Sattasata Khandhaka, the Khandhaka of the Seven Hundred, is a section of the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Pāli Canon, recording an important event in the history of the Saṅgha after the Buddha Gotama entered nirvana. This was one of the great councils (Saṅgīti) convened to confirm and protect the Dharma against dispersion and distortion.

According to the Theravāda tradition, one hundred years after the Buddha’s passing, in the city of Vesālī, some monks in the West (Vr̥tti) began practicing unusual regulations, called the “Ten Impermissible Points” (Dasa Akusalaṁ). This caused great controversy in the Saṅgha. To resolve the dispute, the great elders decided to convene a council attended by seven hundred monks who had attained arhatship, under the leadership of renowned elders such as Revata and others.

Main Content

This Khandhaka records in detail the process of organizing the Council of the Seven Hundred, from choosing the location and preparing, to carrying out the confirmation of the Canon and the Vinaya (Tipiṭaka). The main proceedings of this council took place over a long period, with senior and wise monks verifying each detail of the Dharma.

The chief content focused on reconfirming the Pātimokkha, the basic monastic code; the Suttanta, the discourses teaching the Dharma; and the Abhidhamma, the higher doctrinal teachings. The main purpose was to ensure that what was taught was accurate and in accordance with the principles established by the Buddha.

The Council of the Seven Hundred also examined and rejected erroneous practices. The elders confirmed that the ten practices followed by the monks of Vesālī were not in accord with the Dharma, thereby restoring unity in the Saṅgha. This expresses the spirit of quality control in the Dharma and the building of consensus based on collective wisdom.