Q15
History of IndiaMahajanapadas, Buddhism & Jainism
The last Buddhist Council was held at
- a.Sarnath
- b.Kundalvan
- c.Saket
- d.Ceylon
Answer: (B) Kundalvan
In the standard Indian list of four Buddhist Councils, the last (fourth) was held at Kundalvana in Kashmir under Kanishka, presided over by Vasumitra, and it marked the split into Mahayana and Hinayana. The first three were at Rajagriha, Vaishali and Pataliputra. Ceylon is the tempting option: the Theravada tradition counts its own fourth council at Aluvihare in Sri Lanka in the 1st century BC, where the Pali canon was first written down. Sarnath is where the Buddha gave his first sermon, and Saket is an old name linked with Ayodhya.