179: A Brief History of Theravada Buddhism

The development of Theravada Buddhism throughout the last twenty five and a half centuries. 

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Tirabhara Buddhism started 25 and a half centuries ago, 90 days after the Buddha passed away at the first Great Shankar Council, which was sponsored by King Ajatasa of Rajagiri. And the council was led by Kasapa Mahashira as a president and Ananda and Upali Mahasira as general secretaries, along with 497 Arahats. The principle set out right there at the first great Sankar Council was immediately followed, practiced and preserved by the Baikus, the monks. A group of Baikus led by or trained by Shin Ananda and Shin Upali became the prominent figures in the Tiravara Buddhism for two and a half centuries to come. Shin Ananda outlived forty years over the Buddha. At the city of Vesali in Visikinda, one can still see a remembrance for Goda erected in honor of Shin Ananda after he passed away. This Shin Ananda was already training six talented young monks and novices Samanira while Buddha was still alive. And these six monks are one gami. Two Sala three Rivata Four Kota Sobhita Five Yasa. This Yasa became the leading figure in the Second Great Council. And the number six is Sana Sambhut. All these six months actually have seen the Buddha and probably met while Buddha was still alive. And they are trained to become a Dipidgadara, which means one who can recite all the Buddha's teaching, Pali Kanon and Commentaries, have a full grasping and understanding and can teach others to become Dipidgadhara. In other words, they are the living embodiment of Buddha Dharma and his commentary. And in line of Upali, he also trained another group of monks. And his prominent lineage holder after him. One is Dasaka, two is Sonaka, three is Sigwa. And four is Tesha. This Tesa become the key figure in the Third Sangha Council. He is the key figure of that. Even though there are electronic mediums nowadays, one can get Dipitigap and his commentaries at the fingers tip. There are hundreds of monks in Myanmar still trying and training and working hard to become a Dipitigandhara. These distinguished monks, the title holder of Dipitigandara, are considered and honored as heroes and the preserver of the Tiravada Buddhism. Currently in Burma there are twelve living Dibitagandhara in Myanmar. A century passed by after the Buddha passed away and the city of Vesali in Visi Kingdom became the focal point of the Buddhism. There rose a large group of bhikkhus who would like to change or delete or add some of the minor vinayas disciplines laid out by the Buddha. And the elders try to persuade them not to, but they won't listen. They are already practicing as they see fit. So the elders went to the king, Kala Sokha of that Vizik kingdom and asked him to call a second great Sangha Council so that it would unite the communities of Sangha under one umbrella. The king sponsored their event and 700 enlightened months, headed by Yasa Mahasira. He is the number five disciple of Shenn Ananda, who is the first and original holder of that title. After the second great Sangha Council, the king decreed that all Buddhist monks in this kingdom must follow the exact vina or the disciplines set out by the Buddha and upheld by the second great Sangha Council. But over 10,000 monks who refused to follow were exiled from this kingdom. The exiled monks went to a nearby kingdom called Kosambi and founded up another group or another gang called Mahasangika, which is the forerunner of the Mahayana Buddhism. This group created a new set of vinya by discarding some laid out by the Fuddha and added new which suffice their needs and beliefs. This is the first split of the Sangha, 100 years after Buddha's passing away. And then another century passed by, exactly 236 years after Buddha passed away, his paranybana. There are already 17 groups of Buddhists with 500 different anti-Tiravara viewpoints exist. And these 70 groups were branches coming out of the Mahasangika group founded 136 years ago. Around that time there is Emperor Ashoka ruled the kingdom of Patliput. That is covers most of the India except the southern part, his kingdom. Near the end of his War of Empire building, this king Ashoka met a Buddhist monk called Magli Buddha Desha Mahasira. Actually he is the fourth lineage title holder of Shankupali, as you heard the name a few minutes ago. Under this monk guidance, the king Asoka converted into Buddhism. And suddenly he stopped the war of campaign, war campaign to build his empire and focused on Buddhism and brought peace and prosperity to his kingdom. As there were 17 different sects, 18 including Thiravara and his kingdom. So he wanted to purify the Buddha Sasana according to the original teachings. That's why he decided to call the Third Great Sangha Council. Of course, led by Magri Bhagta Desha Mahasira, the one who is in line from Upali lineage. After the council, the emperor decreed all monks who refused to follow the original teachings of Buddha to exile. That's why all the non-Tirabada Buddhist monks went to northwest of India and far deep into the Himalayas and the north. At that same time the emperor sensed that there's a resurgence of Hinduism in India. So in order to preserve Tiravada Buddhism, he built 84,000 monasteries, Buddhist monasteries across his empire. And also decided to spread Tiravada Buddhism beyond the borders of his empire for it to preserve and survive over time. Nine Buddhist delegations each, consisting of 30 arahats, were extended to nine locations beyond his borders. One of the delegations led by Sonna and Uttara Mahasira, where it stands to Southeast Asia to a place called Sunabumi, which means the Golden Land. Nowadays that place is called the Tong in Myanmar. It was speculated that Sunabhumi extended into part of Thailand, part of Malaysia, and probably into Indonesia. The delegation converted the king and the people to Buddhism. They were originally worshipping Ogris, giants. The first sutra or the discourses they taught is called Bramajala Sutta or Discourse, which explain sixty-two wrong views or different views existed at that time, at the time of Buddha. And the group systematically plunted how to practice morality, concentration and wisdom. That was the first historical record of Buddhism arriving to Burma or Myanmar. 236 years after Buddhas passed away. And then time passed by. Some went to southern India and take a refuge there. Some went to Hiv Sivans at the shorelines of Sri Lanka. But the monks still maintain the tradition of preserving the Buddhist teaching or training the Tibet Gandhara. They carry out with great hardship and difficulties because the monks bow to take a poverty, a vow of poverty. And they live only at the assistance of the people. But the people cannot support them because there is a great war. So through hardship they still maintain and preserve the Buddhist teaching by training. At the end of the war, the two groups, one from southern India and the other group from Sri Lanka, get together and so to speak compare notes. They found to that alike there was no discrepancy. They are the same. But the elders at that time thought it's a time for us to put it on a written form, a printed form. They wrote on the palm leaves. So that for any reason if Tipadga Dara monks were wiped out due to war or famine or disease, the Tiravarapharisen could still survive. And that's how the fourth great Sangha Council was called. It was held in a cave called Aloka near the town of Malaya in Sri Lanka. 450 years after Buddhas passed away. The event was led by Dhamma Rakita Mahadsira and 499 Sri Lankan monks. And it was sponsored by the King Bhuttagami Abia, the king of Sri Lanka at that time. The significance of this Fourth Council is it's the first time it is put it on a written record on palm leaves. And then 2000 years pass by after that. In the year 2400 after the Buddha passed away, King Mindon of Mandalay of Myanmar held the fifth great Sangha Council. The council was led by Zagara Mahatira. Altogether there are 2,400 learned monks. And this Pali Canon and the commentaries were recorded on a marble slab. I don't know exactly, probably around about five feet wide by about seven, eight feet tall, printed on both sides. The king's idea was so that it would last throughout time. After that another century passed by.