Buddhism is one of the oldest religions that is practiced today. The history of Buddhism spans from the 6th century B.C.E. to the present, and it has undergone several expansions over the period of time.
The founder of Buddhism, Siddhatta Gotama was born in Lumbini, near Kapilavatthu, the present Indo-Nepalese border. The Buddha propagated His Dhamma teachings for over forty-five years and attained ‘Parinibbāna’ at the age of eighty.
The First Council
The First Council was held by 500 Arahants at Rājagaha city three months after the Buddha's death. The purpose of the Council was to fix the doctrine and the discipline as taught and laid down by the Buddha, which Venerable Upālī answered Vinaya (Disciplines) and Venerable Ānanda answered Sutta and Abhidhamma (Discourse and Ultimate Doctrines). The Council was headed by Venerable Mahā Kassapa, and with the sponsorship of King Ajātasattu of Magadh State. The meeting lasted seven months.
The Second Council
One hundred years later, there occurred an important event which was a turning point in the history of Buddhism. At that time, a group of monks called Vajjīputta, at the town of Vesālī, were lacking in discipline. The elders of the Order tried to correct their views and practices. They ignored the advice of the elders.
As a result, 700 Arahants held the Second Council at Vālikārāma in Vesālī to revise and confirm the Buddha's Dhamma, which Venerable Yasakākandhaputta was the president. King Kālasoka was the sponsorship of this council. The council lasted eight months. Buddhism, then, was divided into two schools of thought: Hinayāna or Theravada, and Mahayana. The elders of the Council belonged to the Theravada school; meanwhile the Vajjīputta monks developed the Mahayana school.
The Third Council
The third Buddhist council, according to Mahāvamsa, was held at the Asokārāma monastery at Pātalīputta the third century B.E. after the Buddha’s Parinibānna, under the royal patronage and protection of King Asoka. A thousand of Arahants participated in this council of which Moggallīputta Tissa Thera was the president. At the close of the council, this lasted for nine months. Nine groups of Buddhist missionaries were sent to nine territories for the propagation of Buddhism.
According to the Mahāvamsa, the nine missions who were sent to nine territories are as follows:
1. The first mission led by Majjhantika Thera was sent to Kasmir and Gandhāra,
2. The second mission led by Mahādeva Thera was sent to Mahisa-mandāla,
3. The third mission led by Rakkhita Thera was sent to Vanavasa,
4. The fourth mission led by Yona Dhammarakkhita was sent to Aparantaka,
5. The fifth mission led by Mahādhammarakkhita was sent to Mahāratha,
6. The sixth mission led by Mahārakkhita Thera was sent to the country of the Yona or Greek,
7. The seventh mission led by Majjhima Thera was sent to Himavanta,
8. The eighth mission led by two Theras, Sona and Uttara, was sent to Suvannabhūmi,
9. The ninth mission led by great Mahindra Thera, with four other Theras; Itthiya, Uttiya, Sambala and Bhaddasra, was sent to Lankā.
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