ISSN: 2322 - 0902 (P) ISSN: 2322 - 0910 (O) International Journal of Ayurveda and Pharma Research Review Article BUDDHIST COUNCILS (SANGITI) AND ITS LITERATURE: A REVIEW Potbhare Balaji M*, Wakode Vanmala *Research Officer (Ayu.), Regional Ayurveda Research Institute for Mother and Child Health, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. Received on: 06/03/2019 Revised on: 17/03/2019 Accepted on: 31/03/2019 ABSTRACT There are two main philosophical sciences in India; atheistic (Charavka, Jain and Bauddha) and theist (Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaishehika, Purva mimansa and Uttar mimansa). In India, abundant literatures of philosophical sciences are available except Buddhist literature and the reasons are unknown. Buddhist literatures were in Pali language which was a dialect of ancient India and to preserve the invaluable teaching of the Buddha, till dated six Councils (Shangiti) were convened out of which three councils were assembled in ancient India. It is said that the knowledge of history of Indian culture is incomplete without the knowledge of Pali literature. Ayurveda is a Darshanshashtra (Philosophy) as well as clinical science having the goal of Moksha. Every Darshanshashtra has its goal to achieve the Moksha. Aastika and Nastika darshanshashtras have their influence on Ayurveda. The purpose of this paper is to know about the Buddhist councils along with at least appellations of the Buddhist literature. KEYWORDS: Buddhist, Ayurveda, Darshan, Councils (Shangati), Atharva Veda. INTRODUCTION The science of Ayurveda and its basic (lit.baskets); the Vinaya pitaka (the monastic concepts are based upon the Indian fundamental discipline), Shutta pitaka (the popular discourses), sciences which are called Darshan (a system of and Abhidhamma pitaka (a compendium of profound philosophy).[1] Six historical Dhamma councils or teachings elucidating the functioning and Dhamma-shangitis were organized to a mass and interrelationships of mind, mental factors, matter and preserve the words of the Buddha. There are two the phenomenon transcending all these). [3] important aspects of the Dhamma the theoretical, The tradition continued of organizing the known as Pariyatti; and the practical, applied aspect historical Dhamma Councils, the last of which, the which is called Patipatti. These councils were Chattha-shangayana (Sixth Dhamma Council), took organized to preserve the Pariyatti, or theoretical, place in Myanmar (Burma) in 1954-56 A.D., while aspect of the Dhamma in its pristine purity. The simultaneously the healthy tradition of memorizing councils were necessary to safeguard and accurately the words of the Buddha was also maintained. Just as preserve the teachings because the words of the the Buddha is a historical person rather than a Buddha were not committed to writing until the mythical figure, similarly, the Dhamma-vacana are fourth councils, more than 500 years after the composed of his own statements of experience or Buddha’s Mahaparinibbana. [2] those of his disciples and not merely flights of Historical background imagination of a poet. The neighbouring countries of The Buddha suggested two methods to keep India have very conscientiously safeguarded this the pure Dhamma long lived. First, the Dhamma- valuable treasure and, therefore not only India, but vacana (words of the Buddha) should be preserved in all of humanity is grateful to them. [4] their original form in a well-organized manner. Necessity of the study Second, his devoted followers should assemble in There are so many references in Buddhist concord and collectively recite the Dhamma, which literature related to Ayurveda. For example, Human the enlightened one had taught through self- anatomical parts have been detailed described in realization. After the Mahaparinibbana of the Visuddhimaggo, like kidney, heart, Pitta, hairs, skin, Buddha, his five hundred chief disciples assembled liver, spleen, brain, lungs, intestines, and stomach etc. under the aegis of Ven. Maha kassapa. The entire body of his teaching was divided into three Pitakas IJAPR | January 2019 | Vol 7 | Issue 1 13 Int. J. Ayur. Pharma Research, 2019;7(1):13-17 Pitta pannacaritassa accham vippasannam anavilam Pittanti dve pittani baddhapittanca pandaram parisuddham niddhotajatimani viya abaddhapittanca| tattha baddhapittam vannato jutimantam khayati| disato uparimaya disaya jatam| bahalamadhukatelavannam| abaddhapittam okasato sarirabbhantare dvinnam thnanam majjhe milataakulipupphavannam| santhanato ubhayampi patitthitam| paricchedato hadayam hadayabhagena okasasanthanam| disato baddhapittam uparimaya paricchinnam, ayamassa sabhagaparicchedo| disaya jatam, itaram dvisu disasu jatam| okasato visabhagaparicchedo pana kesasadisoyeva. [7] abaddhapittam thapetva kesalomadantanakhanam Heart mamsavinimuttatthananceva thaddhasukkhacam This is the heart flesh. As to colour, it is the manca udakamiva telabindu avasesasariram colour of the back of a red-lotus petal. As to shape, it byapetva thitam, yamhi kupite akkhini pitakani honti, is the shape of a lotus bud with the outer petals bhamanti, gattam kampati, kanduyati| baddhapittam removed and turned upside down; it is smooth hadayapapphasanam antare yakanamamsam nissaya outside, and inside it is like the interior of a kosataki patitthite mahakosatakikosakasadise pittakosake (loofah gourd). In those who possess understanding thitam, yamhi kupite satta ummattaka honti, it is a little expanded; in those without understanding vipallatthacitta hirottappam chaddetva akatabbam it is still only a bud. Inside it there is a hollow as the karonti, abhasitabbam bhasanti, acintitabbam size of a Punnaga seed’s bed where half a Prasata cintenti| paricchedato pittabhagena paricchinnam, measure of blood is consciousness element occurs. [8] ayamassa sabhagaparicchedo| visabhagaparicchedo In Triptik, Vinayapitaka has a chapter called pana kesasadisoyeva. [5] Bhaisajya Skandhak, in which the drug and its means Bile of making, Swedan and surgery are described in There are two kinds of bile: local bile and free detail. bile herein as to colour, the local bile is the colour of Many scholars are of opinion that the thick madhuka oil’ the free bile is the colour of faded Samkhya and the Yoga represent the earliest akuli flowers. As to shape, both are the shape of their systematic speculations of India. It is also suggested location. As to direction, the local bile belongs to the that Buddhism drew much of its inspiration from upper direction; the other belongs to both directions. them; it may be that there is some truth in such a As to location, the free bile spreads, like a drop of oil view, but the systematic Samkhya and Yoga treatises in water, all over the body except for the fleshless as we have them had decidedly been written after parts of the head hair, body hair, teeth, nails and the Buddhism. Moreover it is well-known to every hard dry skin. When it is disturbed, the eyes become student of Hindu philosophy that a conflict with the yellow and twitch, and there is shivering and itching Buddhists has largely stimulated philosophic enquiry of the body. The local bile is situated near the flesh of in most of the systems of Hindu thought. Knowledge the liver between the heart and the lungs. It is to be of Buddhism is therefore indispensable for a right found in the bile container (gall bladder), which is understanding of the different systems in their like a large kosataki (loofah) gourd pip. When it is mutual relation and opposition to bhuddhism. [9] disturbed, beings go crazy and demented, they throw Regarding the background of the Indian off conscience and shame and does the undoable, philosophical sciences, it is said that ‘With regard to speak the unspeakable, and think the unthinkable. As the relation of Buddhism to the six orthodox systems to delimitation, it is bounded by what appertains to it seems to me that all we can honestly say is that bile. [6] schools of philosophy handlings down doctrines very Description of heart is as follows similar to those of our six classical or orthodox Hadayanti hadayamamsam| tam vannato systems are presupposed by the Buddhist Sutras. [10] rattapadumapattapitthivannam| The knowledge of history of Indian culture is santhanato bahirapattani apanetva adhomukham incomplete without the knowledge of Pali literature.’ thapitapadumamakuḷasanthanam| bahi mattham, The Buddhist Pali canon and its commentaries, as anto kosatakiphalassa abbhantarasadisam| well as a number of extra-canonical texts, are a rich pannavantanam thokam vikasitam, mandapannanam source of information on subjects related to the makuḷitameva| anto cassa development of the classical system of Indian punnagatthipatitthanamatto avatako hoti, yattha medicine. The systematic study and exploitation of addhapasatamattam lohitam santhati, yam nissaya this body of texts is therefore of great importance. manodhatu ca manovinnanadhatu ca vattani| tam Surprisingly this field of study has been neglected by panetam ragacaritassa rattam hoti, dosacaritassa both Indian and Western scholars for a long time. In kaḷakam, mohacaritassa mamsadhovanauda tracing the history of Ayurveda, we have not taken kasadisam, vitakkacaritassa kullatthayusavannam, proper advantage of the various materials lying in the IJAPR | January 2019 | Vol 7 | Issue 1 14 Potbhare Balaji M, Wakode Vanmala. Buddhist Councils (Sangiti) and its Literature: A Review Buddhist literature. Many medical historians have The Fifth Dhamma Council never mentioned this treasure house. The period It took place at Mandalay, in Myanmar in extending