A Good End and Right Actions

The Good:-

What is good has to do with benefits. Something that benefits something or someone else is called good for that thing or person. We can think of this instrumentally or biologically. Instrumentally, a hammer is good for pounding nails, and what is good for the hammer is what enables it to do so well. Biologically, air, water, and food are good for living beings.

Instrumentally, what is good for a thing enables that thing to serve its purpose. To make sense, an instrumental usage of the term "good" requires reference to somebody's purpose or intention. Thus, a hammer is good for pounding nails, and nails are good for building things such as furniture or housing, and we build furniture and housing because we want the comfort and utility they afford us. The instrumental usage is expressed in terms of usefulness, of utility for achieving a purpose or intention. Some hammers are better than others in that they have better heft or weight or balance and thus can be used to pound nails more effectively.

The instrumental usage leads to the biological usage. Why is it good for human beings to have comfort and utility? Because comfort and utility nourish us and keep us alive. Unlike the instrumental usage, the biological usage does not require reference to conscious purpose or intention.

The biological usage is expressed in terms of health and well-being. Biologically, what is good for an organism is what helps it survive and thrive, what nourishes it. Some things are better for us than others in this respect. For instance, a diet of whole grains and vegetables is better, in the sense of providing better health for humans, than a diet of simple carbohydrates and fats. Another example: some plants need full sunlight to thrive, and others need shade; thus full sunlight is good for the former, and shade is good for the latter. The good, in this sense, is that which enables a thing to function well.

The instrumental usage intersects the biological when we consider what is good for something that is itself good for a purpose or intention. For instance, keeping a hammer clean and sheltered from the elements is good for the hammer; if it gets too dirty to handle easily or too rusty to provide a good impact on the nail, it is not useful as a hammer. So we can talk about what is good for the hammer in a way that is analogous to what is good for a living being. The good, in this sense also, is that which enables a thing to function well.

The approach to ethics that emphasizes goodness is called the teleological approach, from a Greek word, telos, that means "end", "purpose", or "goal". Biologically, what is good for an organism helps that organism survive and thrive. Instrumentally, what is good for a thing enables that thing to serve its purpose.

Just as good is defined in relation to an end, the value of the end is defined in relation to another end. For instance, a hammer is good for driving nails. Driving nails is good for, among other things, building houses. We build houses to have shelter and warmth. And we desire shelter and warmth because they sustain our life.

This chain of goods and ends stretches in both directions from wherever we arbitrarily start looking. A hammer is good for driving nails. So what is good for the hammer? Whatever enables it to perform its function. It is not good to leave it out in the rain; it is good to handle it carefully, swing it accurately with grace and force, and put it away safely.

This approach is also sometimes called a consequentialist approach or an effect-oriented approach because both usages give meaning to the term “good” by reference to the consequences or effects of an action or event. That whole grains are good for humans means that the effect of eating them is healthful. That a hammer is good for pounding nails means that using it for that purpose is likely to have the effect you want, namely that the nails go in easily and straight.

The Goodness approach to ethics uses the terms "good" and "bad" and their variants and synonyms to evaluate actions, things, people, states of affairs, etc., as well as maxims or guidelines for conduct. 

Some synonyms for "good" in this context are "helpful," "nourishing," "beneficial," “useful” and "effective." Some synonyms for "bad" are their opposites: "unhelpful," "unhealthy," "damaging," “useless” and “ineffective."

There are degrees of goodness and its opposite, badness. That some plants need full sunlight to thrive and others need shade means that full sunlight is good for the former and not so good for the latter.

I am very skeptical of claims there exists something absolutely good, that is, something alleged to be good without reference to its effects. Certainly on my definition of “good” such a concept makes no sense. Also, there is no end to the chains of goods and ends, no summum bonum (highest good) in which all chains culminate or from which all goods are derived. The world is a web, not a hierarchy. The only ultimate good would be the good of the entire universe and all that is within it, not an abstract entity or concept apart from it.

An ethic – a set of moral principles or values – based on goodness applied to concerns about choices between courses of action will ask questions about the anticipated or hoped-for benefits of one course of action as opposed to another. An ethic based on goodness applied to concerns about character will ask questions about the anticipated or hoped-for effects on one's habitual way of approaching life of one course of action as opposed to another.

The Right:-

What is right has to do with conformance to rules or regulations. This is easy to see in non-ethical situations. For instance, the right answer to "What is 37 divided by 9?" is "4 and 1/9." We apply a mathematical rule, the rule for how to do long division, and derive the right, or correct, answer. In ethical situations, we apply a moral rule to determine what the right course of action is. If one finds a wallet with some money in it and the owner's identification as well, the right thing to do is to return the money to the owner because it is wrong to keep something that does not belong to one, especially if one knows who the owner is. The moral rule in this case is "it is wrong to keep something that does not belong to one.”

The approach to ethics that emphasizes rightness is called the deontological approach, from a Greek word, deon, that means "duty." One does one's duty when one acts according to the moral rules. We could also call this a rules-based approach. (By “rules” I mean prescribed guides for conduct, not generalizations that describe physical reality, such as the laws of nature,)

According to the deontological approach, an action is justified on the basis of a quality or characteristic of the act itself, regardless of its consequences. That characteristic is its conformance to a rule. Morality is concerned with identifying and obeying moral rules. It is right to obey the rules and wrong to disobey them. Any particular act can be judged right or wrong according to whether and to what extent it conforms to the moral rules. A central concern, then, is to identify the rules so one can make sure one is acting in accordance with them. Once the rules are established, all one needs to do in order to be moral is to do one's duty, which is to act in accordance with the rules.

The language associated with this school uses the terms "right" and "wrong" to evaluate actions. Some synonyms for "right" are "proper," "legal" and "correct." Some synonyms for "wrong" are "improper," "illegal" and “incorrect."

The problem, of course, is how to determine the moral rules. Humans seem to have an innate sense of morality, of right and wrong; but, notoriously, the actual set of rules they espouse varies from culture to culture. Although many people unreflectively adopt the rules taught them by their parents, teachers, religious leaders and culture, the task of philosophy is to provide a rational grounding for one’s choice of what rules to follow. Philosophers have proposed numerous ways of determining what the rules are, such as divine command, the dictates of pure reason, and using an intuitive moral sense to apprehend an unseen but existent world of values. So far, there is no agreement on which of these is correct.

There are a number of other uses of the term “right” in addition to conformance to moral rules, such as the following:

• Correct, truthful, as in “the right answer.” This implies that rightness is exclusive, that there is one right answer or opinion and that others are wrong. 

• The best possible option or a very good option, as in “the right choice.” This also implies exclusivity, but is problematic. Often one does not need to do what is best. Sometimes one only needs to do something good enough to get a useful response, a response that gives feedback so one can further hone one’s strategy, one’s response to what is happening. 

• Fitting, appropriate, in harmony with the way things are. This sense is more akin to the goodness paradigm. It asserts an aesthetic component of rightness, as when one artistically puts an element of a composition in “the right place.”

• What the speaker approves of or assumes people generally approve of. This is an uncritical usage and is the least useful.

I mention these for completeness. The primary meaning of “right” in an ethical context is conformance to moral rules, and that is the meaning I address in this chapter.

Why It Matters:-

If someone says something is good, one can always ask "good for what?" If someone says something is right, one can always ask "according to what rule?" The two domains of discourse really are separate, and it is not useful to mix them. Mixing them is a form of category error, that is, an error “by which a property is ascribed to a thing that could not possibly have that property.”⁴ That something has good effects does not make it right. That something is in accordance with a moral rule does not make it good.

Making the distinction between Good and Right is important because it promotes clarity of thought. I do not argue that clarity of language is a necessary condition for clarity of thought, but it certainly helps. (Some people think more in pictures than words. I know artists who can get a little confused about words but create absolutely stunning works of art.) The clearer one’s thinking, the more likely one is to succeed in the real world. Accurate thinking based on accurate perception leads to accuracy of action, action that leads to attainment of one’s goals. Clear thinking enables one to survive and thrive.

Sources:-

http://www.bmeacham.com/whatswhat/GoodAndRight.html

What is Jauhar and Saka?

Jauhar: When it became clear that the Rajput men would lose the battle, it was not uncommon during those days for their women (and sometimes even children) to commit jauhar in the night before the last stand of the men. While the Brahmin priests chanted Vedic hymns, Rajput women dressed as brides, along with their young children, embraced the sandalwood flames.

Saka: The morning after jauhar, after taking bath, the Rajput men would wear saffron attires, and apply the ash from the Maha Samadhi of their wives and children on their foreheads and put a Tulsi leaf in their mouth. Then the palace gates would be opened and the men would ride out for complete annihilation of the enemy or themselves. It is believed that Padmini and 150 other women committed jauhar and all the men who went to fight the next day perished at the hands of the huge army of Khilji.

Why Jauhar and Saka? :-

The prime reason for these practices was to ensure Rajput men and women were not captured alive. Rape was inevitable after the fort had fallen. The Rajputs believed that the

opponent soldiers (of the Sultanate) could even rape the dead bodies of their women. To prevent such desecration of their dead bodies, instead of taking poison, Rajput women preferred to jump into fire.

According to James Tod, “The Jauhar was a horrible rite, where the females are immolated to preserve them from pollution or captivity…”

Example:-

When the fall of Chittorgarh became imminent, the Rajput women including their queen Padmini performed Jauhar (self-immolation), preferring death over dishonor. Alauddin defeated the Rajput army only to discover that Padmini and all other women in Chittorgarh fort had committed jauhar.

Little Information on Remainings of the Lord Buddha

In the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, it is mentioned that the Buddha became ill suddenly after he ate a special delicacy, Sukaramaddava, literally translated as “soft pork”, which had been

prepared by his generous host, Cunda Kammaraputta. 

Quote from the Buddha

The name of the cuisine has attracted the attention of many scholars, and it has been the focus of academic research on the nature of the meal or ingredients used in the cooking of this special dish. Was it really pork that was given to the vegetarian Buddha? The sutta begins with King Ajatasattus’ plot to conquer a rival state, Vajji. The Buddha had journeyed to Vajji to enter his last rainyseason retreat. It was during this retreat that he fell ill. The symptoms of the illness were sudden, severe pain.

However, the sutta provides no description of the location and character of his pain. It mentions his illness briefly, and says that the pain was intense, and “almost killed him”.

Many historians believe that the Buddha died, not because of the food he ate, but because he already had an underlying illness that was serious and acute-and had the same symptoms of the disease that finally killed him.

Who are believed to have received the Buddha’s remains after his death?

According to Buddhist text Mahaparinibbana Sutta, the corporeal relics of Lord Buddha were shared by eight republics immediately after his cremation at Kusinara. Each of them claimed right over the relics, and the Brahmin Dona of Kusinara decided to distribute it amongst them all.

One of the Buddha relics from Srilanka

These include Ajatasattu, king of Magadha (from whom Ashoka would inherit the relics), the Licchavis of Vaishali, the Sakyas of Kapilavastu, the Bulis of Allakappa, the Koliyas of Ramagrama, the Brahmin of Vethadipa, the Mallas of Pava and the Mallas of Kushinagar.

The kings then built a stupa each over the relics they received. Two other stupas over the ashes and the urn containing it were also built.

How successful have been the efforts to find the Buddha’s remains in India?

In 1898, archaeologist William Claxton Peppe found a casket having inscriptions in the stupa at Piprahwa (in Uttar Pradesh) which indicated that the stupa contained the relics of Buddha. However, many scholars were in disagreement of this mainly because of the difference in the date of the inscription and that of the death of Buddha.

Bones of the Buddha at piprahwa stupa

In 1971, excavations of the Piprahwa stupa were led by K. M. Srivastava of the Archaeological Survey of India. Srivastava continued the investigations below the level of the Asoka period burial and found two mud brick chambers. Inside each chamber were a soapstone casket and several jars, one of which contained charred bones.

Srivastava believed, and most scholars agree, that this is the original burial of the Buddha’s remains by the Sakya families. The mortal remains of Buddha belonging to third or fourth century were found during an excavation in 1962-1963 at Devni Mori which is a Buddhist archaeological site near Shamalaji in Gujarat. 

The ashes of Lord Buddha were found in a gold bottle wrapped in silk cloth within a copper bowl that was kept in a casket. The 1,700-year old casket’s inscription in Brahmi script mentions ‘Dashabala Sharira Nilaya’ — which stands for ‘abode of the bodily relics of Lord Buddha’.

( Note: Some scholars have suggested that modern-day Piprahwa- Ganwaria (in Uttar Pradesh) was the site of the ancient city of Kapilavastu, the capital of the Shakya kingdom, where Siddhartha Gautama spent the first 29 years of his life. Others suggest that the original site of Kapilavastu is located 16 kilometres to the northwest, at Tilaurakot, in what is currently Kapilvastu District in Nepal.)

According to texts from the Indian subcontinent in the 3rd century B.C., Indian emperor Ashoka ordered the construction of 84,000 stupas to house the fragments of Buddha’s remains as far as they could be transported.

According to the Deming and ancient inscriptions ,Out of the “84,000 shares” of Buddha sent by King Ashoka 1,400 years earlier, land of China received 19 of them.

little Info on Life of Buddha and his Teachings

April 8, 563 B.C:-

On April 8th, 563 B.C, 2579 years ago, Siddartha was born in the Lumbini vanam, which is in present day Nepal. the protected child who went on to become the Buddha – the enlightened one. There is uncertaintly over his exact date of birth; the Chinese celebrate his bithday on the eighth day of their lunar calendar, most East Asian nations do so on the eighth day of the Gregorian calendar, which is Eighth April.

What were the main teachings of the Buddha?

The main teachings of the Buddha are based on Four Noble truths:

1. Existence is suffering: The first truth is the truth of Dukkha (suffering) which continues with the process of birth, life, death and rebirth.

2. This suffering is caused by human craving: The second truth says that it is this craving which leads to re-becoming, accompanied by delight and lust, and all other emotions.

3. Nirvana or cessation of this suffering is possible: The third truth makes Cessation the goal of one’s practice in the Buddhist tradition. Nirvana (unbound) or cessation is a stage when one is able to detach oneself from the causes of sufferings, craving and ignorance.

4. Nirvana can be achieved through the Eight-fold path: The fourth truth describes path to achieve Nirvana. The Eightfold path of 

(i)right view, 

(ii) right thought, 

(iii) right speech, 

(iv) right action, 

(v) right livelihood,

(vi) right effort, 

(vii) right mindfulness, and 

(viii) right concentration, paves the way to Nirvana.

Why was Siddhartha protected from exposure to worldly sufferings?

Siddhartha was born in 563 BC in Nepal (Lumbini) in the royal family of the Sakyas. He was the son of the king Suddodhana. Briefly after his birth, an astrologer named Asita visited King Śuddhodana and prophesied that Siddhartha would either become a great king or renounce the material world to become a holy man, depending on whether he saw what life was like outside the palace walls.

Siddhartha was kept isolated from the world and enjoyed a luxurious life inside his palace. He was married and fathered a son. At age 29, he decided to see more of the world and began excursions off the palace grounds in his chariot. In successive trips, he became exposed to the sufferings - he saw an old man, a sick man, and a corpse. Ignorant of the sufferings, Siddhartha had to ask his charioteer, Channa about them. Channa explained the realities of life. As Siddhartha empathized with them, he also began his quest for finding the ultimate truth.

When did Siddhartha’s quest to discover the ultimate truth begin?

Siddhartha saw a monk, and, impressed with the man’s peaceful demeanor, he decided to go into the world to discover how the man could be so serene in the midst of such suffering. He left his palace and became a wandering ascetic.

Wandering Ascetic: Siddhartha initially began his ascetic life by begging for alms in the streets of Rajgir (in modern day Bihar) in Magadha Empire. After Magadha King Bimbisara’s men recognized Siddhartha and the king learned of his quest, Bimbisara offered

Siddhartha the throne. Siddhartha rejected the offer, but promised to visit the kingdom of Magadha first, upon attaining enlightenment.

Meditation: He then traveled south and studied meditation under the teachers Alara Kalama and Udraka Ramaputra. He soon mastered their systems, reaching high states of mystical realization, but was unsatisfied and went out again in search of nirvana, the

highest level of enlightenment.

Self-denial: Siddhartha and a group of five companions undertook fasting and other austerities for nearly six years. But since these techniques proved ineffectual, he abandoned them.

Where was Siddhartha’s quest fulfilled?

Siddhartha nearly starved himself to death. Once he collapsed in a river while bathing and was rescued by a village girl Sujata who gave him some payasam (pudding made of jaggery). After he regained his strength he reconsidered his path.

It is then that he thought about the ‘middle path’, a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification.

He seated himself under a Peepal tree (now known as the Bodhi- Tree) at what is now Bodh Gaya, which is flanked by the Phalgu/Niranjan River and promised not to rise until he had attained the supreme enlightenment. After 49 days of meditation, at the age of 35, Siddhartha achieved enlightenment under the Pipal tree and became the Buddha.

He discovered the ‘Four Noble Truths’ which went on to become the foundation of his teachings and Buddhism.

According to a folklore, the Buddha initially debated whether he should teach people about his discovery as he thought humans to be overpowered by ignorance and greed. He was then convinced by God Brahma to teach humans as some would understand the truth.

Who became the first disciples of Buddha?

After his awakening, the Buddha met Traphussa and Bahalika — two merchant brothers from the city of Balkh (which is currently part of Afghanistan) — who became his first lay disciples.

He then travelled to the Deer Park near Varanasi (Benares) in northern India, where he set in motion what Buddhists call the Wheel of Dharma (dhammachakra) by delivering his first sermon to the five companions with whom he had sought enlightenment. Together they formed the first saṅgha: the company of Buddhist monks. Women(his step mother, Gautami was the first woman to be admitted to the Sangha)were admitted to the Sangha, and all barriers of class, race, sex and previous background were ignored. The only desire of the Sangha was to help people reach enlightenment. For the remainder of his life, Buddha traveled, preaching the Dharma (the name given to the teachings of the Buddha) in an

effort to lead others to and along the path of enlightenment. 

How did Buddhism influence Indian culture?

Simplistic approach towards religion: Its principles were very simple. It was easily followed by the people. It also had no rituals - animal sacrifices, fasting and pilgrimages.

Opposition to Caste System: Buddha vehemently opposed the caste system in Indian society which was a complex practice during that remote phase of history. Till this day, ‘lower’ caste Hindus who are unhappy with the caste system convert to Buddhism to protest the oppressive system. This practice was started by B R Ambedkar, the architect of Indian Constitution.

Character Building: Buddhism laid great emphasis on love, equality and non- violence. It laid emphasis on the fact that man himself is the architect of his own destiny.

Influence on History: Buddhism had great impact on many kings, most notably on the great emperor and conqueror Ashoka who left his violent ways after the Battle of Kalinga and played an important role in spreading Buddhism.

Freedom for Women: Buddhist monastery was the first to receive women as nuns. Inside monastery, democratic procedures were followed. The head of the monastery was elected not by selection but by a vote.

Education: Buddhism tried to make education practical, action oriented and geared towards social welfare. Most of the ancient Indian universities like Nalanda, Taxila were products of Buddhism

When was the first council held?

The first Buddhist council was held shortly after the death of Buddha around 400 BC. The Council was held outside Saptaparni Cave in Rajgir, India. King Ajatsattru sponsored the council. The meeting was convened by MahaKashyapa, the prominent disciple of Buddha. 500 monks attended the council and the Buddha’s teachings were recited. The main objective of the council was to preserve the Buddha’s teachings and set the monastic rules. Buddha’s disciple Upali was chosen to answer questions about the Vinaya, the monks’ and nuns’ disciplinary rules. Ananda, who had the honour of hearing all the discourses of the Buddha and who had an unusually good memory, was chosen to recite all the discourses and answer questions about the teachings.

The monks adopted the Vinaya-pitaka and Sutta-pitaka as the accurate teaching of the Buddha, to be remembered and kept by generations of monks to come. Along with Abhidhamma-pitaka (which came later), they complete the tripitaka (three baskets) of

the Theravada tradition of Buddhism.

Where is the importance of the Second Buddhist Council?

The Second Buddhist council was held approximately 100 years

after Buddha’s nirvana. It was held in Vaishali (modern day Bihar) in India. It was convened to settle the conflict that had arisen out of an ideological difference among the sangha (Buddhist monastery). 

Controversy is thought to have arisen over the 10 rules (vinayas) which monks were obliged to follow. The debate centered on two interpretations of the vinayas, one of which was much stricter than the other.

A monk called Yasa, when visiting Vaishali, noticed a number of lax practices among the local monks. He made a list of ’10 practices’ which the monks should not ideally be doing. The biggest issue was whether monks could be allowed to handle money.

The differences were not resolved and it resulted in the creation of the two major schools of Buddhist thought, the Mahayana and the Theravada.

Third Buddhist Council:

It was held in Patliputra under the patronage of King Ashoka (Maurya Dynasty). It was held under the leadership of the monk Moggaliputta Tissa. This council was held rid the Sangha of corruption and bogus monks who held heretical views. Disputes on certain points of the proposed doctrine lead to further splits, resulting in the Sarvastivadin and Vibhajjavadin sects. 

Fourth Buddhist Council:

The Theravada tradition had a Fourth Buddhist Council in the first century BCE in Sri Lanka, at Aloka Lena now Alu Vihara during the time of King Vattagamani-Abaya. 

Another fourth council is said to have been held under the aegis of emperor Kanishka in 78 AD. This was held in Kashmir under the presidency of monk Vasumitra.

Fifth Buddhist Council:

This council was held in 1871 in Mandalay, Burma in the reign of King Mindon.

What was the Sixth Council about?

The Sixth Buddhist Council was a general council of Theravada Buddhism. It was attended by 2500 monastics from eight countries from 17 May 1954 to 24 May 1956.

The council was held in a specially built cave and pagoda complex at Kaba Aye Pagoda in Yangon, Burma. The venue was designed to be like the cave in which the First Buddhist Council was held. A major purpose of the Sixth Council was to preserve the Buddha’s teachings and practices as understood in the Theravada tradition. The Sixth Council was sponsored by the Burmese Government led by the Prime Minister, U Nu.

The entire text of the Pali Theravada canon was reviewed and recited by the assembly of monks. This Council’s work was a unique achievement in Buddhist history. After the scriptures had been examined thoroughly several times, they were put into print, covering 52 treatises in 40 volumes. At the end of this Council, all the participating countries had the Pali Tipitaka rendered into their native scripts, with the exception of  India.

Note: Therevada and Mahayan are the two major sects of Buddhism. Theravada is the dominant form of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma and Laos. Mahayana is dominant in China, Japan, Taiwan, Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia, Korea and most of Vietnam.

How is Theravada different from Mahayana?

1. Theravada (The Teaching of Elders) is a branch of Buddhism which is more orthodox in nature and follows the oldest available Buddhist text. 

2. Thereavada believes in freeing one’s self from bondage, namely samsara. It does not believe in idol worship.

3. Mahayana (Great Vehicle) is the other branch which has adopted a more diverse view. The goal of Mahayana is to fulfill the destiny of a Bodhisattva, enlightenment and inner peace. Statues are used for meditation and prayers by the sect. 

4. Location of Buddhist Paths

Theravada Buddhism – Southern (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, parts of Southeast Asia)

Mahayana Buddhism – Northern (Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, parts of Southeast Asia) 

- Scriptures Theravada in Pali (Pali Cannon).

Mahayana in Sanskrit (Sutras)

5. Both share the common basic Buddhist teachings of Four Noble Truths and Eight fold path. Language Difference Theravada Buddhism is more conservative. It places importance on Pali as the birth language of the Buddha. Pali is used in worshipping. Bodhisattvas (Buddha in his former lives)

6. In Theravada only Maitreya is accepted as the Bodhisattva; in Mahayana, Maitreya plus non historical figures are also accepted.

7. Enlightenment

Mahayana Buddhism suggests Boddhistvas delay their realisation to stay in Samsara (the worldly bondage) and help other struggling humans. Theravada suggests Bodhisattvas seek enlightenment first before they are able to help others stuck in Samsara. Goal of

Buddhism

8. Theravada places greater emphasis on arhatn – liberation or Nirvana. In Mahayana, the role of the Bodhisattva path is given more prominence.

Why are the Buddhist councils held?

After the death of Gautam Buddha, monks and scholars concerned with practicing the lessons he taught met several times at formal councils.

At these councils, the canon of Buddhist thought was established, the rules of monastic life were agreed, and matters of dogma and ideology were debated and confirmed. They were usually organized to settle disputes regarding the interpretation of the Buddha’s

teachings.

The main aim of the council is to affirm and preserve the genuine Dhamma (Dharma) and Vinaya (Discipline). The exact number, location, and importance of the councils are widely contested but the first two councils are considered of prime importance.

While Buddhists from Sri Lanka and Myanmar acknowledge the Yangon Council as the 6th, Thai Buddhists list previous councils in Sri Lanka and Thailand and consider the Yangon Council as the 10th. 

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source:-Knappily