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Early Development of Buddhism

EARLY BUDDHISM
“Go ye forth, O Bhikkhus, on your journey, for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good,the benefit, the bliss of gods and men.”

The above saying of the Buddha, at the time of sending out the first group of sixty disciples to propagate the Doctrine in the second year of his preaching, is an explanation of how and why Buddhism has survived for so long and succeeded in converting a large part of mankind to its cause.

During the Buddha’s lifetime, Buddhism spread rapidly through the great personality of the Buddha himself and through the spirit of renunciation, self-discipline and sacrifice of the disciples who formed the Sangha and followed the Buddha’s example. After his death, the disciples, still living up to these ideals, continued to spread Buddhism far and wide.

In the first century of the Buddhist Era, two Buddhist Councils were held to protect and preserve the purity of the Buddha’s teachings. The First Council was held by 500 Arahan at Rajagaha under the royal patronage of King Ajatasattu of Mgadha three months after the passing away of the Buddha. The purpose-offhe Council was to fix the Doctrine and the Discipline as taught and laid down by the Buddha. At this Council the Venerable Kassapa was the president, while the Venerable Upali and Ananda were-ctf osen to recite the Vinaya and the Dhamma respectively. One hundred years later, there lived at Vesali a large number of monks who were lax in discipline. The elders of the Order then challenged them to an open debate. After the lax monks had been defeated, seven hundred Arahants held the Second Council to revise and confirm the Canon.

In B.E. 2181 there came to the throne of India one of the greatest men in history, King Asoka, the first Buddhist emperor who ruled the Mauryan Empire for 41 years. In the early years of his reign, Asoka was a fierce king. In the eighth year of his reign, he invaded and conquered Kalinga; a country of brave people in the south. The horrors of this conquest made him so remorseful over the suffering of the people that he gave up war completely. And it was at this time that King Asoka became converted to Buddhism. From this moment he adopted the policy of Dharmavijaya (conquest by righteousness or conquest of men’s hearts by the Law of Duty or Piety) in place of Sangamavijaya (conquest by war), and spent the rest of his life promoting the Dharma or the Law of Piety throughout his great empire. He was changed from Canฺdฺasoka, or Asoka the Fierce, to Dharmasoka, or Asoka the Righteous, whose example all later great kings tried to follow.

In accordance with his policy of piety, King Asoka had his edicts inscribed on rocks and pillars which were scattered everywhere throughout his empire to carry his message to his people. In the 18th year of his reign, the Third Buddhist Council was held under his patronage at Pataliputra (modern Patna), his capital, with the object of purging the Sangha of heretics and preserving the pure teachings. It is said that 1,000 Arahants participated in this Council and the Venerable Moggalliputta Tissa was the president.

After the Council, nine missions of elders were sent to preach the Dharma in various states and foreign countries. Of these, the first mission headed by the Elder Mahinda, son of King Asokahimself, carried the Message of Buddhism to Ceylon. The second mission headed by the Elders Sonฺa and Uttara was sent to Suvarnฺabhumi which some scholars identified with Nakorn Pathom Province in central Thailand. According to the Edicts, King Asoka also sent his messengers and ambassadors to spread his message of the Law of Piety in the kingdoms of the West in Asia, Europe and Africa such as Egypt, Cyrene and Greece.

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