buddhist spectrum

First buddhist council

W L Wijayawansa, MBA

Nikini full moon day falls one month after the commencement of “Wassana Kala,” the rainy season. Monks who have not commenced ‘Vas’ on Esala poya commence it on the Nikini Poya (Pasu Vas). Since three months from Esala is thhe rainy season, in the past Bhikkus had to stop their usual missions, meditation in the jungles (aranya) and confinee themselves to temples.

Nikini Poya is an important day in the History of Buddhism. It was on Nikini Full Moon Poya day, three months after the Buddha’s parinibbana that the first Buddhist Council or convocation (Dharma Sangayana) was held. There were several reasons to hold this council, but the immediate cause for conducting the first Dhamma Sangayana was the behaviour of a monk named Subaddha, who became a mond at his old age.

All the bhikkus who had not attained Arahanthood except monk Subaddha lamented and mourned over the passing away of the Buddha. Buddha’s “Agra Upasthayaka”, chief attendant-and “Dharma Bhandagarika” - the repository of Dhamma, Ananda Maha Thera who was not an Arahant at that time was also among those who lamented.

Monk Subaddha who was not worried about the Buddha’s passing away requested the monks not to mourn but to be happy as there was no one after the Buddha’s demise to give them orders. He told monks that the Buddha constantly worried them by admonishing them for their misconducts. Now they were free to do what they wished.

The story reached Maha Kassyapa Maha Thera, who was the most revered monk after Sariputta and Moggallana Theras. He came to Kusinara for the Buddha’s cremation with a large retinue from the village Pava. He was deeply concerned about Subaddha’s words. Even during Buddha’s time there were disagreements among monks on Dhamma.

There was a debate between Dharmadhara (versed in Sutras) and Vinayadhara (versed in codes of conduct) bhikkus which even the Buddha could not settle. Bhukku Devadatta tried to divide the sangha community. Kassapa Thera thought there could be more disagreements in the sasana after the Parinibbana of the Buddha.

Monks may give various interpretations to Dhamma and there may be numerous arguments among monks. He witnessed this happening to Jainism after the death of Mahaveera, Jaina Sastru. So he wished to rescue all Buddha’s teachings from oblivion as soon as an opportunity presented itself.

In addition to this reason Maha Theras wanted to collect all the Dhamma (Sutras) scattered at that time and organize it in a meaninngful way. Ananda Maha Thera knew all the Sutras (Dhamma) recited by the Buddha and Upali Thera was honoured by the Buddha as one who has mastered Vinaya (monastic conduct - discipline).

Although Ananda Thera was the Dharma Bhandagarika, Bhikkus had several complaints against him. Among the charges were reverend Ananda’s pleading to Buddha to allow women to enter into the order of monks and when the Buddha passed away he allowed Buddha’s remains to be respected by nuns before the monks.

They defiled it with tears. Another charge was that Ananda did not inquire about the minor precepts which Buddha wanted to relax. There were as much as 12 charges against Ananda Thera according to some texts.

Maha Kassapa Thera decided to have a convocationn to settle all these problems. King Ajasatta was informed of the intention of the order of Monks. He sponsored the Council and made all necessary arrangements for the monks to gather at the entrance of the Sattapanni Cave in Rajagaha. Kassapa Thera decided to invite 500 Arahant Bhikkus who had deep knowledge of the Dhamma, for this convocation.

Five hundred seats were arranged but only 499 famous Arahants were chosen for the meeting. One seat was reserved for Ananda Thera, who has still not achieved Arahanthood, but was only a Sotapanna. However informed by the Mahakassapa Thera about this Ananda Thera attained the Arahanthood on the night before the convocation and joined others.

Since 500 Bhikkus participated in thhe Sangayana it was called Panchasathika. It took three months (seven months according to some books) to finish the Sangayana. With the Elder Mahakassapa presiding, the five hundred Arahants met in council during the rainy season after the Nikini Poya.

The first thing Mahakassapa did was to specifically question Venerable Upali on all monastic rules of discipline. Venerable Upali gave authenticated answers and his remarks met with the unanimous approval of all the Sangha. The Vinaya-pitaka (basket) not only lists rules but also explains the circumstances that caused the Buddha to make many of the rules. Thus, the Vinaya was formally apporved.

Then Mahakassapa Thera turned his attention to Ananda in virtue of his reputable expertise in all matters connected with the Dhamma. Mahakassapa Thera questioned him at length about the Dhamma with specific reference to the Buddha’s sermons. This interrogation on the Dhamma sought to verfy the place where all the discourses were first preached and the person the whom they had been addressed. Ananda aided by his perfect momory was able to answer accurately.

Dhamma was then subdivided into five volumes viz. Digha Nikaya, Majjima Nikaya, Sanyutta Nikaya, Anguttara Nikaya and Kuddaka Nikaya. Thus Dhamma and Vinaya was approved by the sangha unanimously. Abhidhamma was not made a separate pitaka at this convocation.

Epitome of Indian Buddhist revival

(Continued from last week)

Rohan L. Jayetilleke

Anagarika Dharmapala

The valuable services being conducted by Ven. Kripsaran for the resurgence of Buddhism, which had been eclipsed by Hinduism (presently too according to the Census Report of 1991 of India of the total Indian population of one billion plus, 82.6 percent are Hindus and only 0.7 percent are Buddhists.)

One of his greatest and ardent admirers was his contemporary the Anagarika Dharmapala of Sri Lanka, the founder of the Maha Bodhi Society of India at Colombo in 1891, with he himself as the secretary and later shifted the headquarters to Buddha Gaya and then to Calcutta in 1893, and had it registered under the Indian Companies Ordinance in 1915, with he himself as the secretary and Chancellor of the Calcutta University Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee as the president.

Anagarika Dharmapala had come to India to work for the restoration of the management of Buddha Gaya to the Buddhist on a clarion call made by Sir Edwin Arnold (author of the Light of Asia, former principal of the Government College of Poona till 1860 when he returned to England to be the editor of the Daily Telegraph), on his visit to Sri Lanka (Panadura Rankoth Vihara) in February 1886 on the invitation of Ven. Weligama Sri Sumangala Maha Thera of Sri Lanka, wherein Sir Arnold made a call to Buddhists of Sri Lanka to initiate action to regain control of Buddha Gaya, which took root in the heart and mind of Anagarika Dharmapala.

The Maha Bodhi Society of India had no headquarters in Calcutta and Ven. Kripsaran accommodated Anagarika Dharmapala at his own Vihara for all religious and social functions which were held jointly with the cooperation of the Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha at the Dharmankur Vihara. This link between Kripsaran and Anagarika Dharmapala lasted until their final demise (Krisparan in 1927 and Dharmapala in 1933). They jointly travelled to meet British officials at Lucknow, Delhi and Calcutta to make joint representations on matters connected with the revival of Buddhism in India.

In 1911, along with Anagarika Dharmapala Ven. Kripsaran came on a pilgrimage to Sri Lanka and visited the Buddhist sacred sites at Anuradhapura and elsewhere and remained in Sri Lanka for nearly one month and discussing matters with the scholarly Sinhala monks and obtained a minute knowledge of the standard of Buddhism in Sri Lanka under British rule and forms of worship and other Buddhist activities at the time.

In 1915, Anagarika Dharmapala on the invitation of Kripsaran visited Chittagong Hill Tracts. Kripsaran too visited Burma in 1908 on the invitation of Venerables U. Sagara Mahathera and U. Tejabanta Mahathera. The Burmese accorded a right royal welcome to Kripsaran thronging to the streets and Viharas to have a glimpse of Kripsaran who had come from the land Gautama Buddha as well as of all former Buddhas.

With the help and support of Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee, who had the right to propagate education, Ven. Kripsaran was able to get affiliation for many High Schools in Chittagong with the Calcutta University, so that the students who were not resident at the university could read for their degrees from their own schools and later sit for the examinations of the university. Ven. Kripsaran established many schools in India.

He took a step further and for the benefit of the working illiterate classed, he opened a night school, which caught the imagination of the labouring classes in Calcutta. There were thousands of migrant illiterate workers from other parts of India.

At the insistence of Kripsaran Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee made representations to permit him to introduce higher studies in Pali as a discipline of Calcutta University, as well as in other universities in India to the Government. He also urged Herbert Butler, the then Education Secretary, who also knew Kripsaran form personally scholarships for higher studies in Pali in the universities of UK which too was approved.

Benimadahab Barua, a cousin of Ven. Kripsaran, who too hailed from the Barua family, was selected by the London University from among three candidates recommended by Kripsaran.

Thus Benimadahab Barua, proceeded to the London University in 1914 for study and research in Pali. Subsequently Dr Benimadahab Barua became the first Asian recipient of a Doctorate in Literature from the London University. Even today members of the Barua family of West Bengal are all scholars and Buddhists in the forefront of the resurgence of Buddhism in India and also taking the teachings of the Buddha worldwide.

Jagajjyoti centenary

The deep commitment to Buddhist scholarship was great with Ven. Kripsaran, he started the publication of the Jagajjyoti (Light of the World – an English cum Hindi journal) in 1908 under the editorship of Gunalankara Mahathera and Swami Purnanada, which continues even today under the editorship of this writer’s close associate and friend Sri Hemendu Bikash Chowdhury.

This publication had commemorative issues of some great luminaries and continues to be widely acclaimed not only among the literati but also commoners. This year is the centenary of Jagajjyoti, and is to be marked by a special volume, with contributions by scholars from India as well as from overseas.

Ven. Kripsaran established Gunalankara library in order to have a treasury of rare publications. Even today it is a treasure trove for scholars and researchers on Buddhism and history of Buddhism in India as well as in other countries.

In order to bring education to children Kripsaran started Kripsaran Free Institution in 1912, which admitted Indians of all classes and religions. This institution now continues under the name Kripsaran Continental Institution, with doors open for students and scholars from all parts of the world.

At one time when the institution was nearly closed down, the present General Secretary, Sanghanayaka Ven. Dharmapal Mahathera intervened and nurtured it to its old character, where children and teachers hailing from different communities without any prejudice of race, colour or creed could study. Even in modern times, casteism continues in India, with the lowest caste the Dalits being marginalized.

The innovative action taken by Ven. Kripsaran in Uttar Pradesh, today has blossomed the Dalits to have their own Dalit, a teacher, Mayawati Kumari as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh with Lucknow as the capital. The city of Lucknow is now being developed by her, with a huge pond in the centre of the city, belted with high rise business complexes.

The Young Men Buddhist Association concept was organized in Sri Lanka in 1896 by a Christian convert R S Dissanayake in Colombo, and this concept was copied by Kripsaran too. He established a Young Men Buddhist Association in Bengal, which brought all youth under the Buddhist banner.

This was followed by establishing in 1918 a Buddhist Women’s Conference under the Presidency of Srimathi A. L. Junnan, the Principal of Bethune College, which gave leverage to women marginalized in the Hindu society to forge ahead in all sectors of socio-economics and education sectors of India.

Mayawati Kumari, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh is one such who came into such a high position in the caste-based Uttar Pradesh, even though she was marginalized as a Dalit. The World Buddhist Conference from December 6-14, 1924 at the Nalanda Park, Calcutta was another great deed by Ven. Kripsaran.

The inaugural session was chaired by U. Chandramala Mahathera of Arakan (Burma). This conference was attended by eminent bhikkhus from India, Burma and also lay scholars of very high standing in India at the time.

Thus Ven. Kripsaran was the ‘Light of Asia’ and his close associate in Sri Lanka, Anagarika Dharmapala established branches of the Maha Bidhi Society in foreign countries. He initiated action to gain control of Buddha Gaya from the Hindu Mahanta, which was only realized after his death (1933), in 1947 under the Buddha Gaya Management Act. Now the Committee of Management consists of four Buddhists, four Hindus with the Collector of Gaya (Revenue authority of the Bihar State’s Gaya district) as the chairman.

It is time that Buddhist organizations of the world demand the Indian government to revise the committee structure and to drop the Hindu representation.

Incidentally, a grandson of Ven. Kripsaran Maha Thera, Most Venerable Bhikku Bodhipala the chief incumbent of the Maha Bodhi Viharaya was appointed by the Government to the Mahabodhi Management Committee.

So were Buddha Gaya Associations’ Secretary, Secretary Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha Calcutta, Member Bihar Minorities Commission, Member Nava Nalanda Mahavihara Committee appointed by the Government of India and many other positions. All the institutions and associations established by Kripsaran Maha Thera continue to function most efficiently.

During the life time of this Mahathera a life-size marble statue of him was erected in Calcutta with the following inscription – “Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa – Mahasthavir Kripsaran, erected by his disciples, friends and admirers in token of gratitude, love and veneration and in humble appreciation of his services to the cause of Buddhism.

His life is dedicated to the realization of the message of his Master. He is the maker of modern Buddhist Bengal, whose advancement as a community, is due entirely to his bold initiative and indefatigable energy.

The Dharmankur Vihar and Sabha with its branches, the ‘Jagajjyoti’ the Kripsaran Free Institution and the Gunalankar library will ever be regarded as his best memorials, of simple child-like and saintly personality; of large heart and high-spirited enthusiasm, a worker who knows no defeat and is ever in harness, Kripsaran is the servant beloved of the Lord Buddha, his chosen instrument for doing his work. - 31st October 1915 AD – 2459 BE.”

Ven. Kripsaran fell seriously ill and even attention by eminent physicians and prayers of his devotees could not resuscitate him. The end came on April 30, 1926, leaving behind a rich legacy and harvest for others to emulate and continue to carry forward the unfinished mission of Kripsaran.

He had a desire that his funeral ceremony and last rites be performed in his native village, Unnainepura and his mortal remains were taken there to fulfill his wish and cremated with full honours. He wanted his cremation to be done right besides the cremation rites of his teacher Acharya Purnachar. Thousands of Sri Lankans come on pilgrimage to India.

(The writer is a retired Investigating Inspector of Postal Services of Sri Lanka, member of Baharathiya Kala Kendra of India, engaged in research into Indian civilization, art and culture).

Search for peace

Yellow robed monks in silence,
Tread their way
To the waiting Hall,
To listen to the Buddha’s word.

Deep in meditation the monks
Wind their way keeping regular pace
Lest they disturb the one before them
The leader from his meditation.
Mindful of his steps that tread on minute creatures.

Peaceful, calm, heads bent low,
Dedication of spirit and mind to the Buddha’s word
To eradicate desire, hatred, ignorance
To benefit society through Buddhist doctrine,
To purify their minds from revenge, anger, jealousy
Which pervade mortal thoughts from morn to dusk.

Hence returning their minds to clearer visions
Through the path of Bahavana to Nibbana,
With “Sabba papassa akaranan”
Kusalassa upasampada
Sachitha pariyodapanam
Etam Buddhanu Sasanam”

Seing such an array of orange robed bhikkus treading silently along the path of tall trees and green grass create a sense of awe and respect among the lay to hear the words of wisdom preached by the Buddha.

As they utter the gatha “Evan me Sutam......” creates a great transformation within themselves bending low with adoration, hands reaching upward in worship to the Buddha.

Dharma WEERARATNE