Buddhist Councils

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Tipitaka

• It is a Pali term. It is commonly rendered as “Three Baskets” :
• Vinaya (Monastic rules of conduct)
• Sutta (Discourses)
• Abhidhamma (Ultimate reality)

Buddhist Councils

• According to the Theravada tradition, there are six Buddhist Councils.
• The First, Second and Third Councils were held in India.
• The Fourth Council (which recorded the teachings on palm leaves) was held in Ceylon.
• The Fifth Council was held in Mandalay, Burma. U Khanti inscribed the Tipitaka on marble slabs. It was featured as the World’s Largest Book in Ripley’s “Believe it or not”.
• The Sixth Council was held in Rangoon, Burma. Tipitaka was reconfirmed and published as printed texts. Selected Pali texts were also translated into Burmese.

First Buddhist Council

Source : U Silananda

• Date : 3 months and 5 days (Sasana Era)
• Place : Rajagaha (India)
• King : Ajasattha
• Leader : Mahakassapa Thera
• Number of Monks : 500
• Duration : 7 months

• Accomplishment :
  Collected, examined, classified, and recorded orally the Buddha’s Teachings

• Ashin Maha Kassapa acted as the Chief Questioner.
• Ashin Upali recited Vinaya.
• Ashin Ananda recited Sutta and Abhidhamma.
• 500 Arahants confirmed Buddha’s teachings.

References :

• Culavagga-Pali pp. 479 – 490
• Dipavamsa 1.24; 5.4
• Mahavamsa 3.26 – 41
• Vinaya Atthakatha I 2 – 25
• Digha-Attahakatha I 3-26

Second Buddhist Council

Source : U Silananda

• Date : 100 (Sasana Era)
• Place : Vesali (India)
• King : Kalasoka
• Leader : Yasa Thera (Vinaya Athakatths)
  Revata Thera (Mahavamsa)
• Number of Monks : 700
• Duration : 8 months

• Accomplishment :
  Reaffirmed the Texts accepted at the 1st Council after a group of monks tried to relax the rules of discipline (oral)

References :

• Culavagga-Pali pp. 490 – 508
• Dipavamsa 5.30
• Mahavamsa 4.9 – 64
• Vinaya Atthakatha I 25 – 29

Third Buddhist Council

Source : U Silananda

• Date : 234 (Sasana Era)
  310 BC
• Place : Pataliputta (India)
• King : Asoka
• Leader : Mogallaputta-Tissa Thera
• Number of Monks : 1000
• Duration : 9 months

• Accomplishment :
  Reaffirmed the Texts accepted at the previous Councils. The Kattavatthu (5th book of Abdhidhamma) is added (oral)

References :

• Dipavamsa 7.34-43, 44-59
• Mahavamsa 5.228-279
• Vinaya Atthakatha I 29 – 78

Fourth Buddhist Council

Source : U Silananda

• Date : 450 (Sasana Era)
  94 BC
• Place : Alokavihara (Sri Lanka)
• King : Vattagamani Abhaya
• Number of Monks : 500

• Accomplishment :
  Wrote the Buddha’s Teachings together with the Commentaries on palm leaves

References :

• Vajirabuddhitika 543
• Mahavamsa 33.100-101

Fifth Buddhist Council

Source : U Silananda

• Date : April 5, 1871 (*)
• Place : Mandalay (Burma)
• King : Mindon
• Leader : Jagara Thera
• Number of Monks : 2400
• Duration : 5 months (recitation)
  Began on April 14, 1871
  Ended on September 9, 1871

• Accomplishment :
  Reaffirmed the Texts accepted at the previous Councils and wrote them on 729 marble slabs.

References :

• Burmese Chronicles

(*) 1853 – 59 Writing on palm leaves in gold-color ink, ink and stylus – over 200 volumes.

Began writing on marble slabs on October 26, 1859. Ended writing on marble slabs on May 4, 1868. Took 7 years, 6 months and 19 days.

Seven books of Abidhamma on 208 slabs.

Slab size : 5 feet high, 3 feet across, 5 inches thick and about 90 lines long

Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” named it the “Largest Book in the World”.

Sixth Buddhist Council

Source : U Silananda

• Date : May 1954 – 56
• Place : Rangoon (Burma)
• Prime Minister : U Nu
• Leader : Revata Thera
• Number of Monks : 2500
• Duration : Two years for the Pali Texts

• Accomplishment :
  Reaffirmed the Texts accepted at the previous Councils.
  Editions of Pali Texts, Commentaries and Sub-commentaries.

References :

• Sangayana Album

Editor’s Notes :

• The Sixth Buddhist Council was held in Kaba Aye Pagaoda, Rangoon.
• 2500 Sayadaws from Burma and neighboring Theravada Buddhist nations re-confirmed Buddha’s teachings.
• Mahasi Sayadaw U Sobhana acted as the Chief Questioner.

• Mingun Sayadaw Ashin Vicittacarabhimvamsa acted as the Chief Reciter.
• Mingun Sayadaw’s memory feat was recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records (in the mid-50s).

Tipitaka Examination

Background

• Burma wanted to host the Sixth Buddhist Council.
• The Sayadaws visited neighboring Theravada countries to seek advice and to solicit participation in the Council to celebrate 2500 years of Sasana.
• The Theravada Sayadaws expressed the need for a Tipitaka Sayadaw.

Burma invited interested Sayadawa to sit for Oral and Written Examination over four years (or more)

• Vinaya
• Sutta
• Abhidhamma (Part One)
• Abhidhamma (Part Two)

Mingun Tipitaka Sayadaw U Vicittacara

• He served as an Examiner for the first Tipitaka examination.
• One Sayadaw passed the Vinaya, but said that he would not take further examinations to concentrate on his Practice of the Dhamma.
• Sir U Thwin requested Mingun Sayadaw to take the Tipitaka examination as preparation for the Sixth Buddhist Council.
• Mingun Sayadaw passed with Distinction in all subjects, and was awarded “Tipitakadara Bandakarika”.