Buddhist Councils for JPSC (Jharkhand) Prelims and Mains Examination

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I Buddhist Council   500 BC at   Ajatsataru .   Record the Buddha‘s sayings (sutra) and codify     Rajgaha   Presided by   monastic rules (vinaya). Rajgaha is today’s         Mahakasyapa   Rajgir II Buddhist Council   383 BC at   Kalasoka   The conservative schools insisted on monastic     Vaishali         rules (vinaya). The secessionist Mahasangikas               argued for more relaxed monastic               rules.Rejection of the Mahasanghikas III Buddhist Council   250 BC   Ashoka..   Purpose was to reconcile the different schools of     Pataliputra         Buddhism-2/”>Buddhism. Presided by Moggaliputta Tissa IV Buddhist Council   100 AD   Kanishka   Division into Hinayana & Mahayana. Theravada     Kashmir   Presided by   Buddhism does not recognize the authenticity of         Vasumitra &   this council, and it is sometimes called the         Asvaghosha   “council of heretical monks”. V Buddhist Council   1871   King Mindon   recite all the teachings of the Buddha and     Myanmar         examine them in minute detail to see if any of               them had been altered VI Buddhist Council   1954   P.M. U Nu         Yangoon          

 

 

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The Buddhist Councils were a series of meetings of Buddhist monks that were held to discuss and debate the teachings of the Buddha. The first council was held shortly after the Buddha’s death, and the last council was held in the 5th century CE.

The first Buddhist council was held in Rajagrha (now Rajgir) in India, about 3 months after the Buddha’s death. The council was convened by Mahakassapa, one of the Buddha’s chief disciples. The purpose of the council was to collect and preserve the Buddha’s teachings. The council was attended by 500 monks, and it lasted for 7 months.

The second Buddhist council was held in Vaishali (now Vaishali) in India, about 100 years after the Buddha’s death. The council was convened by Yasa, a monk who was a disciple of Mahakassapa. The purpose of the council was to resolve a dispute over the interpretation of the Buddha’s teachings. The council was attended by 700 monks, and it lasted for 9 months.

The third Buddhist council was held in Pataliputra (now Patna) in India, about 236 years after the Buddha’s death. The council was convened by Ashoka the Great, the Mauryan emperor. The purpose of the council was to revise and update the Buddhist scriptures. The council was attended by 1,000 monks, and it lasted for 9 months.

The fourth Buddhist council was held in Kashmir in India, about 700 years after the Buddha’s death. The council was convened by Vasumitra, a monk who was a disciple of Nagarjuna. The purpose of the council was to refute the teachings of the Mahayana school of Buddhism. The council was attended by 500 monks, and it lasted for 6 months.

The fifth Buddhist council was held in Mandalay in Burma (now Myanmar), about 1871 CE. The council was convened by King Mindon Min, the king of Burma. The purpose of the council was to revise and update the Buddhist scriptures. The council was attended by 2,400 monks, and it lasted for 6 months.

The Buddhist councils played an important role in the development of Buddhism. They helped to preserve the Buddha’s teachings and to ensure that they were transmitted accurately to future generations. The councils also helped to resolve disputes over the interpretation of the Buddha’s teachings and to promote unity among the Buddhist community.

The Buddhist councils are an important part of Buddhist history. They provide us with valuable insights into the development of Buddhism and the beliefs and practices of early Buddhists. The councils also remind us of the importance of preserving and transmitting the Buddha’s teachings.

Here are some frequently asked questions and short answers about Buddhism:

  1. What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is a religion that originated in India over 2,500 years ago. It is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is also known as the Buddha. The Buddha taught that suffering is caused by desire and that the way to end suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path.

  1. Who is the Buddha?

The Buddha was born in Lumbini, Nepal, in the 6th century BCE. He was raised in a wealthy family, but he left his home at the age of 29 to seek enlightenment. After six years of study and meditation, he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. He then spent the rest of his life teaching others how to achieve enlightenment.

  1. What are the Four Noble Truths?

The Four Noble Truths are the foundation of Buddhist teachings. They are:

  • Suffering exists.
  • Suffering is caused by desire.
  • Suffering can be ended.

  • The way to end suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path.

  • What is the Eightfold Path?

The Eightfold Path is a set of eight steps that lead to enlightenment. They are:

  • Right understanding
  • Right thought
  • Right speech
  • Right action
  • Right livelihood
  • Right effort
  • Right mindfulness

  • Right concentration

  • What are the main schools of Buddhism?

The main schools of Buddhism are Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Theravada is the oldest school of Buddhism and is followed by the majority of Buddhists in Southeast Asia. Mahayana is the largest school of Buddhism and is followed by the majority of Buddhists in East Asia. Vajrayana is a smaller school of Buddhism that is practiced in Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan.

  1. What are the major texts of Buddhism?

The major texts of Buddhism are the Pali Canon, the Mahayana sutras, and the Vajrayana tantras. The Pali Canon is the oldest collection of Buddhist texts and is the basis of Theravada Buddhism. The Mahayana sutras are a collection of texts that were written after the Pali Canon and are the basis of Mahayana Buddhism. The Vajrayana tantras are a collection of texts that were written after the Mahayana sutras and are the basis of Vajrayana Buddhism.

  1. What are some of the major practices of Buddhism?

Some of the major practices of Buddhism are meditation, chanting, and pilgrimage. Meditation is a practice that helps Buddhists to develop concentration, mindfulness, and wisdom. Chanting is a practice that helps Buddhists to connect with the Buddha and other Buddhist teachers. Pilgrimage is a practice that helps Buddhists to visit sacred sites and to connect with their spiritual roots.

  1. What are some of the major festivals of Buddhism?

Some of the major festivals of Buddhism are Vesak, Asalha Puja, and Kathina. Vesak is a festival that celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. Asalha Puja is a festival that commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon. Kathina is a festival that celebrates the end of the rainy season retreat.

  1. What are some of the major challenges facing Buddhism today?

Some of the major challenges facing Buddhism today are religious persecution, Globalization/”>Globalization-3/”>Globalization, and secularization. Religious persecution is a problem in some parts of the world, where Buddhists are persecuted by other religious groups. Globalization is a challenge because it can lead to the erosion of traditional Buddhist values. Secularization is a challenge because it can lead to a decline in religious belief and practice.

  1. What is the future of Buddhism?

The future of Buddhism is uncertain. However, there are some reasons to be optimistic about the future of Buddhism. Buddhism is a growing religion, and it is attracting new followers in many parts of the world. Buddhism is also a resilient religion, and it has survived many challenges in the past.

Buddhism

  • Buddhism is a religion that originated in India over 2,500 years ago.
  • The founder of Buddhism is Siddhartha Gautama, who is also known as the Buddha.
  • The Buddha taught that the cause of suffering is desire, and that the way to end suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path.
  • The Eightfold Path is a set of eight steps that lead to enlightenment.
  • The Four Noble Truths are the foundation of Buddhist teachings.
  • The Four Noble Truths are:
    • Suffering exists.
    • Suffering is caused by attachment.
    • Suffering can be ended.
    • The way to end suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path.
  • Buddhism is a non-theistic religion, which means that it does not believe in a personal god.
  • Buddhism is a philosophy of life that emphasizes compassion, wisdom, and peace.
  • Buddhism is one of the world’s major religions, with over 500 million followers.

MCQs

  1. Which of the following is not one of the Four Noble Truths?
    (A) Suffering exists.
    (B) Suffering is caused by attachment.
    (C) Suffering can be ended.
    (D) The way to end suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path.

  2. Which of the following is not one of the Eightfold Path?
    (A) Right understanding.
    (B) Right thought.
    (C) Right speech.
    (D) Right action.

  3. The Buddha was born in which of the following countries?
    (A) India
    (B) China
    (C) Japan
    (D) Korea

  4. Buddhism is a religion that originated in which of the following centuries?
    (A) 1st century BCE
    (B) 2nd century BCE
    (C) 3rd century BCE
    (D) 4th century BCE

  5. Buddhism is a non-theistic religion. This means that it does not believe in which of the following?
    (A) A personal god
    (B) A supreme being
    (C) A higher power
    (D) A divine being

  6. Buddhism is a philosophy of life that emphasizes which of the following?
    (A) Compassion
    (B) Wisdom
    (C) Peace
    (D) All of the above

  7. Buddhism is one of the world’s major religions. It has over how many million followers?
    (A) 500 million
    (B) 1 billion
    (C) 1.5 billion
    (D) 2 billion

  8. The Buddha taught that the cause of suffering is which of the following?
    (A) Desire
    (B) Attachment
    (C) Craving
    (D) All of the above

  9. The way to end suffering is to follow which of the following?
    (A) The Eightfold Path
    (B) The Four Noble Truths
    (C) The Noble Eightfold Path
    (D) The Noble Truths

  10. Buddhism is a religion that is practiced in which of the following countries?
    (A) India
    (B) China
    (C) Japan
    (D) All of the above

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