Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c31.s5.3

v2.c31.s5.3

It is apparent from the subject-matter of the ten un-Vinayic acts and the five points of Mahādeva, that the Vesālians wanted a certain amount of latitude and freedom in the interpretation and observance of the rules,¹ and to carry into their organizations and general governance a democratic spirit which was gradually disappearing from the Buddhist Saṅgha. The exclusive powers and privileges which the arhats claimed for themselves were looked upon with disfavour by the Vesālians. The claim of the arhats to become members of important Councils and make their decisions binding on the non-arhats did not appeal to the Vajjians—a clan imbued with a thorough democratic spirit. The five propositions of Mahādeva also indicated that the arhats were not ‘perfect’ men as was claimed by the orthodox and that the arhats also had a few limitations. The Vesālians refused to be bound down by the decision of the arhats, and instead they convened a Council of all arhats and non-arhats, calling it a Mahāsangīti and agreed to abide by the decisions of the enlarged Council. This new body believed sincerely that the decisions taken by them were in conformity with what they had learnt from Buddha.