Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c31.4

v2.c31.4

*Sources (Later):* (ii) Besides the above accounts derived from the Vinaya texts, there are three other texts written by Bhavya, Vasumitra and Vinītadeva on the history of the Buddhist schools. In introducing the history of the schools of thought, Vasumitra refers to the Council. He writes that it was held one hundred and odd years after Buddha’s death while Aśoka was ruling at Kusumapura² in Magadha kingdom. Evidently, by Aśoka, he meant Kālāśoka of the Pāli tradition. All these three writers have not a word to say about the ten un-Vinayic acts of the Mahāsaṅghikas. They attribute the division of the Saṅgha to the five propositions of Mahādeva.¹ The works of these writers, therefore, are not of much value for the events that led to the session of the Second Council.