see,  Dialogues of the  Buddha, Part II, pp. 73ff

　　　　  (PTS, London, 1977).

　　   (5)Cullavagga XI. 1 (abbreviated as CV ).

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already perfect told that all things are impermanent. Kassapa also reminded the grieving monks that it was in the nature of things that one had to be separated from the near and dear ones. Among the monks there was an old monk called Subhadda who rejoiced at the news of the death of the Master and told: "Enough Sirs, weep not, neither lament! we are well rid of the great Samana. We used to be annoyed by being told: 'This beseems you, this beseems you not'. But now we shall be able to do whatever we like; and what we do not like, that we shall not have to do."

The Cullavagga does not record the reaction of Kassapa to the statement of Subhadda. After narrating this incident Kassapa simply told the monks: "Come, my bretheren, let us chant together the dharma and vinaya before the non-dhamma spread and the dhamma be put aside." Then the Cullavagga goes on to narrate how the formal resolution to chant was adopted, the monks selected and the place for chanting decided upon.

It is to be noted that the account about the formal resolution etc., are not recorded in the MPS. The MPS in fact does not contain the slightest hint as to the chanting of the dhamma and vinaya. Otherwise the two texts agree with each other verbatim, and Oldenberg is of the opinion that the Cullavagga copied this part of the narraration from the MPS. As the MPS does not breath a single word about the chanting, Oldenberg came to the conclusion that all the incidents connected with the Council (viz. Kassapa's proposal to chant, his selection of the monks, selection of the place for chanting, formal proposal for chanting, and its acceptance by the Samgha, the chanting of the dhamma and vinaya etc. ) and mentioned in the Cullavagga but omitted in the MPS are nothing but fiction. And this elaborate fiction, according to Oldenberg, was concocted in immitation of the Second Buddhist Council which is historical. (6)It is, however, not properly explained by Oldenberg why the Cullavagga would have to copy the. MPS or to feel inclined to creat such a fiction in immitation of the Second Council. Oldenberg is equally determined to deny the historical nature of even those

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　　   (6) Poussin, Councils, p.10.

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incidents which are not inseparably connected with the chanting of dhamma and vinaya. For example, Oldenberg also regarded the episodes of Channa and the khuddanukhuddakani sikkhapadani as legends. "The hypothesis forces itself upon us", says Oldenberg "that the redactor of our Chapter of the Cullava gga spoke of these things (i.e. stories of Channa etc. ) because the MPS has spoken of them." (7) "Buddha has given orders to be executed after his death: ought not one, when one had to speak of what had happened after the death of the Buddha, to explain how these orders have been executed? The tradition of the MPS speaks in the sense which we know of the khuddanukhuddakani sikkhapadani; on the other hand the Buddhists did not know that the community had suppressed any of the intended rules. Hence what is more simple than to suppose that the community had resolved to keep all the established rules? " (8)

Thus according to Oldenberg the redactors of the Cullavagga were familiar with the account of the MPS regarding the khuddanukhuddakani sikkhapadani and the punishment of the Channa, but were not aware whether theinstructions of the Buddha had already been carried out or not. So they imagined fitting sequels to the account of the MPS and wrote about the actual execution of the orders of the Buddha. Oldenberg is also sceptical about the historical nature of the episode of the faults of Ananda which is not connected with the chanting directly.

Poussin has excellently summarised the opinion of Oldenberg in the following way:(9) "Wishing to set forth the primitive compilation of scriptures, postulated by orthodoxy, the compiler of Cullavagga has naturally brought forward Kassapa, A nanda and Upali. He added the story of Kassapa's journey and the episode of the lesser precepts, had grouped and developed several other souvenirs relative to this period: almost all were known to him through the MPS. In one word Oldenberg believes that all our chapter of the Culla is a forgery."

Criticism of Oldenberg by Finot and Obermiller

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　　   (7) Poussin, Councils, p.22.

　　   (8) Poussin, Councils.

　　   (9) Poussin, Councils, p.12.

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As against Oldenberg's contention that the MPS maintains utter silence concerning the First Council, Finot (10) offers the following arguments. He points out that the chapters XI and XII of the Cullavagga which contain the accounts of the two Councils, have such an abrupt beginning unlike the other chapters of the Cullavagga that they could not have been originally a part of this work. He further points out that the Mahapaninibbanasutta also differs from the other suttas of the Digha Nikaya in the nature of its contents, being more historical in character, and that the Mahaparinibbana sutta and the two chapters (XI, XII) of the Cullavagga are so similar in nature that they must have been originally parts of one and the same work. In support of his view he refers to a work entitled Samyukta-vastu (Nanjio 1121), the Vinaya of the Mulasarvastivadins, which contains the account of both parinirvana and the Councils, and concludes therefrom that the Theravadins too had a work corresponding to the Samyukta-vastu and that it was dismembered at a later date by the ancient editors of the Nikayas and Vinaya. Dr. Obermiller (11) corroborates Finot's contention and gives us in detail the contents of the Vinaya-ksudra ka which roughly correponds to the Cullavagga, and shows that it not only contains the account of the two Councils but also the Mahapaninibbanasutta. He further points out that "the story of the Councils begins just on the same line in which the narrative of the burial of the Buddha finishes, without any indication whatsoever".