Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c31.s3: No President

v2.c31.s3.1

A remarkable feature of the Council is that it did not elect any President. By the *ubbāhikā* process a body of referees consisting of eight monks was formed to go into the questions of dispute, and each tradition gave prominence to its favoured monk. Thus, we see that though Sabbakāmī is recognised as the Sanghatthera, the Pāli tradition accords to Revata, a Westerner, the leadership of the Council, while the Chinese version of the Mahāsanghika Vinaya attributes to Sambhūta Sāṇavāsī the leading part in the Council. Buston gives prominence to Sabbakāmī and Khujjasobhita (Kubjita). In view of these differences regarding the leading monk, we have to conclude that there was no elected President and the business was carried on by a Committee.