Background of Thailand

From time immemorial, people in Asia have to imgrated from their original homeland and sought places where they could live i peace and security, far from the strife and enmity of neighbouring tribes and this is also true of the people we know today as Thais. the word THAI means free and at the begining of the second century B.C. their long migration from from the valleys between the Huang Ho and the Yangtze Kiang in China began in earnest(Sir Charles Eliot. Hindu & Buddhism V. III). they moved ever southwards because of conflicts with neighbouring tribes and one group called Thai yai (literally big thai) moved to what we are now know as Shan States, to the plains of the Salween River and other areas and as far afield as modern Assam. the Thai Noi (which mean small thai) reached present-day Thailand. So According to the Archaeology the place where we called nowaday as Nakon Pathom, or in Sankskrit, Nagara Prathama used to inhabited by the people called Mon-Khmer or Khmer-Mon.

Pali literature of South-east Asia by Dr. Hammalawa Saddhatissa

The 3 characteristic (Tilakhana)

The three charsteristics are anicca(impermanent), Dukkha(suffering) and Anatta(non-self). Collectively three lakhanas) factors are named as Tilakkhana or three characteristics of existence. These three teaching have been explained for the first time in the Ananta lakhana sutta of the Sanyutta Nikaya. The second iscourse delivered by the Buddha after his enlightenment. It was addressed to five mendicants (the five comets).
In that Sutta the true nature of the world is explained. Addressing the five monks the Buddha said “Body O monks, is not self now were this body self monks this body world not tend to sickness and one might get a chance of saying in regard to the body, let the body become thus for me but in so much monks, as body is not self, therefore body tends to sickness, and one does not get the chance of saying in regard to the body, let body become thus for me, let body not become thus for me.
What do you think about this monk? Is body permanent or impermanent? Impermanent lad, but that which is impermanent sorrowful or happy, Sorrowful lord.
The tern anicca is an adjective usually used in the sense of a noun. Aniccam is the neuter noun used in the Language. Both words are prefixed with a negative a;

Impermanent (Anica)

a + nitya = anitya
a + nityam = anityam
nitya permanent, anitya is the negative of mitya.
Nitya means impermanent. But in the Abhidhamma commentaries the derivation of the word has been traced to the root I to go with the prefix ‘an’ giving the meaning cannot be gone to means un approachable as a permanent everlasting state.
The word impermanente appear in the pāli canon- very often in numerous contexts.
Impermanent nature of all is described in the mahaparinibbana Sutta of the Digha Nikaya.
The aim of Buddhism is to understand the true nature of all that are impermanent. It is explained in the Dhammapāda V.277 as follows.
“Sabbe sankhara aniccati yada pannaya passati
atha nibbindati dukkha esa maggo visuddhiya”.
Buddhsim is a teaching of impermanente(anicca). All component things are conditioned subject to rapid change. One does not perceive their arising(Ppada) breaking(vyaya).
“Anicca vat sankharā uppadā vyaya dhammino

uppajitva mrujjanti, tesam Up samo sukho.”
As long as one fail to understand the changing process (aniccati). One will not understand the momentary nature of everything.
When one understands things as they really are one realizes that the life is a mere flux conditioned by international and external causes he never clings into the worldly things.
According to Buddhist teachings all conditioned things share three features. They are anicca,(impermanent), Dukkha (suffering), and antta(non-self) aniccam, dukkham, anatta.
Impermanence generally means that everything conditioned and unconditioned is subject to change
“Sabbe sankharā anicca Sabbe dhammā anatta”.
This thesis is further developed by an analysis of the process of clanged. The determination of the duration of the event the reviewing of the practical consequence which should be drawn from the fact of impermanence.
Buddhism emphasizes the nature of things as they exist. Everything appears (Uppada), become stiths and disappear (bhanga).
It is though that all things a intimated and unanimated last a shorter time period then we usually suppose. Everything is subject to uppada stiths and Bhanga. What we experience is an illusion. As you experience mirage. Everything is momentary. Impermanency is always dreadful. That brings you disgust Existentialism.

Dukkha(Suffering)

Dukkha is the second fundamental characteristic of existence and the first in the list of four noble druths. The term dukkha has used in Buddhist teachings to convey the totality of experience of a normal human being in the world. The most popular word in English for dukkha is suffering.
In addition to that many English words are used by different schools to convey the meaning of the original pali term. Among them “ill” pain sorrow insecurity unpleasentness, anguish anxiety unhappiness are found. The most common of them used the Pāli term dukkha suffering and unsatisfactoriness. There are many Pali words related to dukkha such as soka domanassa parideva and Upayasa.
The concept of sufferingnecesarily includes the general insecurity of all our experience. Ven Buddhagosa explaining the detivation of the term dukkha. In the Visuddhimagga says
“The word du (bad) is equal to Ku-Citta (bad mind) Kham (ness) dukkha( badness).
Dukkha is the second fundamental characteristic of existence and first in the list of four noble truths. Buddhsim is a teaching of impermanente. All component things that are conditioned subjects to rapid changes\. It is very difficult to understand the rapid change of everything that one perceives.
“Uppada is arising, Vaya is breaking. As a result of this the ordinary man compels to accept that the body and mind are statue enlistees.
As long as one fails to understand the changing process one will never understand the momentariness of everything. When one sees things as they really are one realizes that the life is a mere flux of conditioned by internal and external courses.
Dukkha has been classified further into their aspects for better understanding. They are 1. Dukkha0 Dukkha Intrinsic suffering 2. Viparinama dukkha-suffering in change. 3. Samkhara dukkha- suffering due to formation.
1. Bodily and mentally painful feelings are called intrinsic suffering because of their individual essence 2. Bodily and mental pleasant feelings are called suffering in change because they cause for suffering, when they change.
3. The feeling of equanimity and the remaining formations of three planes Uppada, Vaya, Bhanga are called suffering due to formation. Samkhara – dukkha.

Suffering or unsatisfactoriness(dukkha) as described in the Pāli sutta has a wider meaning. At the first seaman Dhammachakh=kapavattana sutta which was addressed to the five mendicants the Buddha continued to explain the noble truth of suffering.
“The Buddha said” And this monks is the noble truth of suffering, birth is suffering decay is suffering, death is suffering, Association, with what is not dear suffering. Separation of what is dear is suffering. Not getting what one want is suffering. In short the five aggregates of grasping are suffering.
This is a precise statement full of meaning with all areas of human life, which explains the influence of suffering in many aspects.

The Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble Truths are four fundamental, categorical statements or propositions (Ekamsika Dhamma Desana) regarding the man’s existence in Samsāra and the way out of it. In this sense, this teaching contains the essence of the Buddha’s teaching, for the whole of his teaching is about this important fact. The essence of the Buddha’s teaching is about the existence of Dukkha and the possibility of its cessation. These four Noble Truths are:

(1) Dukkha ariya sacca - the Truth of suffering

(2) Dukkha samudaya ariya sacca – the Truth of arising of suffering

(3) Dukkha nirodha ariya sacca – the Truth of cessation of suffering and

(4) Dukkha nirodha gāminī patipadā ariya sacca – the Noble Truth of path leading to the cessation of suffering

Commonly, however, these are referred to as Dukkha Sacca, Samudaya Sacca, Nirodha Sacca and Magga Sacca. The prefix Ariya or Noble is an indication to show their importance. Simply it is by fully understanding these Truths that an ordinary wordings (Puthujjana) gets elevated into the status of a Noble person (Ariya Puggala), or an Arahant.

The first Noble Truth is about the existence of Dukkha and it is said that one who understand this Truth, understand the arising of Dukkha, its cessation and also the path leading to its cessation. Therefore it is said that though they are referred to as Four Noble Truths they are in fact one. This shows how important the Four Noble Truths are.

In Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta it gives a short description of what these Four Noble Truths mean. In introduction these truths the Buddha says that these truths are not heard of before. Dukkha is described as birth is Dukkha, decay is Dukkha, Death is Dukkha, sickness is Dukkha; likewise sorrow and grief, woe, lamentation and despair is Dukkha etc. The word Samudaya means arising or Tanhā. Tanhā is mentioned as the cause of the arising of Dukkha. It is described the meaning of Kāmatanhā, Bhavatanhā and Vibhavatanhā. The word Nirodha means cessation. It is regarding the cessation of Dukkha. Whatever that arises is bound to cease and so is Dukkha. The last truth is lie down the path following which one could completely eradicate Dukkha and mentioned the eight fold path leading to the cessation of Dukkha.
Therefore, we can see from above mention that the four Noble truths are playing a great role and the heart of the teaching of Buddha in Buddhism. It is the truth that we have to realize completely in order to leave from round in the cycle of birth and death.

The Third Buddhist Council

Scholars are not unanimous about the 3rd Buddhist council. Only the chronicles of Sri Lanka spelt about the 3rd Buddhist council (Mahāvamsa, Dipāvamsa). Fa Xhian and Hung Tsang has not mentioned about the 3rd Buddhist council in their reports.
But there appear some clues in the edicts to prove that the 3rd Buddhist council took place during the reign of the king Dhammasoka. It is mentioned that the king Dhammasoka tried to maintain peace and harmony among Buddhist monks.

As a result of the broken down of the disciplines among monks no Uposatha or Pavarana was hold in any one of the monasteries for seven years. On hearing this news the King sent a minister to Asokarama to persuade monks to hold Uposatha. But monks refused to follow the advice of the king. So the ministers started to kill the disobeyed monk one after another as to the king's order. At this time the king’s brother who was also a monk living in that temple intervened.
Hearing about this the king Dhammasoka was shocked and wanted to know that he was responsible for it. Monks advised the king to contact the most senior monk Ven. Moggaliputta- tissa who was living in a seclude place and get his advice. The king sent a delegation to discuss him and persuaded him to come back to Pataliputra.

Venerable Moggaliputtatissa agreed to come to Pataliputra. He arrived to Pataliputra and convinced the king that he was not responsible for what had happened since the king had no such intention to kill anyone. With the advice of the senior monk the king ordered to assemble all monks. Then the king asked each monk as to what the doctrine of the Buddha was. All those who gave heretical answer were disrobed and sent out. Those who were Vibbhajjavadins were allowed to continue as the followers of the original teaching of the Buddha. After that, the king with the advice of the elder monks decided to hold an assembly for the well being of the order of monks.

1000 orthodox monks took part in the 3rd Buddhist council at Pataliputta. At this assembly the Tripitaka was rehearsed to establish its purity. As a result of the 3rd Buddhist council the king Dhammasoka sent missionaries to nine different countries in and around India. These are as follows;
(1) Kashmira and Gandhara (Peshawar & Rawalpindi)
(2) Mahisha Mandala (Mysore)
(3) Vanavasi (North of Mysore)
(4) Aparanthica (northern Konkan)
(5) Maharashira
(6) Yonakadhesa
(7) Himavanta (Eareece)
(8) Suvannabhumi (Burma)
(9) Tampapanni (Ceylon)

The Second Buddhist Council

The Second council was held 100 years after the demise of the Buddha at Vālukārāma in Magadha. It was under the patronage of king Kālasoka who regained from 393-365 B.C. This council was held by 700 monks who were well versed in Sutra and Vinaya for 7 months to be completed. After the first Buddhist council, during 100 years, there was no trouble in the order of monks but because Buddhist monks lost the royal support, Buddhism fall off in India. Therefore Brahmanism was gaining power and becoming popular in the society. The assassination of Ajātasattu by his son Udayabhadra also made the country become disorder. So a lot of Buddhist monks and the senior Ven Sabbakāmi left Magadha for remote areas.
The society was changing rapidly during this period. So it became necessary for Buddhist monks to change their way of life according to the changes of the society. There was a clash between the young monks those who wanted to amend the minor rules promulgated by the Buddha and the older monks those who denied to change them. There were of opinion that the Buddhist Vinaya is the life of the order. (Vinayo nama Sasanassa Ayu)
The main reason for holding this council was the 10 disciplinary points {Dasa vatthu) that were introduced by Vijjiputtaka monks. These are:
1. Singilona Kappa—custom of putting sold in a horn in order to season Vegetable [is permitted]
2. Dvagula Kappa—the custom of teaching midday meal even after the procreated time
3. Gamantara Kappa—the custom of going into the village after the meal and eating again when invited {is permitted}
4. Avasa Kappa—the custom of holding the uposatha feast separately by Bhikkhus dwelling in the same distinct.
5. Anumati Kappa—it is permitted to make decisions in absence of the monks those who do not attend to uposatha. But their consent should be taken later.
6. Acinnati Kappa—the custom of doing things as it is the practice of the preceptor.
7. Amatita Kappa—it is permitted to consume unturned milk even after the meal time.
8. Jalogi Kappa—it is permitted to drink unfermented palm wine{toddy}
9. Adasa Kappa—it is prescribed size and if they were without fringe.
10. Jatarupa Kappa—it is permitted to accept gold and silver.

In order to reject 10 unlawful points, this council was held by Ven. SabbakAmi became the president and Yasathera took a chief position. The Theras Revata, Satha, Khaujjasobhita also participated the meeting. After sometimes The Vijjiputtaka monks also were held another assembly known as Mahasanghiti. As a result of that the order of monks were divided into two groups. These are Theravada and Mahasanghika.

1. First Buddhist Council

The first Buddhist council was held three months after the demise of the lord Buddha at the cave of Sattapanni in Rājagaha under support of king Ajātasattu for 3 months. Five hundred Monks, who were 499 Arahants and keeping a proper place for Ven. Ānanda because at that time he was not Ārahant, took an important place. Before holding this council he became an Arahant at the previous night. He set which prepared for him with ‘the path of the light, while the assembly will start and someone asked where him, to show that he can use the miraculous powers particular an Arahant’.
For this reason, it was not only a statement of Ven. Subhadda but also many other statements that happened during the Buddha’s time.
For example as monks those who lived at the monastery of Kosambi, they argued the Dhamma and vinaya. Because the Buddha himself could not solve these arguments so he went to Parileya forest. Moreover, Ven. Devadatta wanted to lead the large community given by five statements to the Buddha but the Buddha did not accept it. As a result of that the order of monks divided into two groups etc.
Here, anyway, this Buddhist council could not hold without Ven. Ānanda because he was as the treasurer of the Dhamma (Dhamma Bhandāgārika) and who being the Buddha’s personal attendant had heard Dhamma from the Buddha’s mouth more than anyone else.
Therefore Ven. Mahākassapa himself asked all questions relating to the Vinaya and the Dhamma both to Upali and Ananda. The answers given by Ven. Upali and Ven. Ananda became Vinaya Pitaka and Suttapitaka. At the end of this council Venerable Ananda was reprimanded on five charges by the elders. These are;
(1) Not getting a proper clarification when the Buddha mentioned his parinibbāna. He defended that because he was in a deep sorrowful situation at that time.
(2) Disrespecting the Buddha’s robe while Ven. Ānanda stitching stands on it. He defended that there was no one to help him to stitch the Buddha’s robe.
(3) Permitting females to pay their respects to the Buddha before others. He defended that because he felt compassion of the ladies those who come from distant areas.
(4) Not inviting the Buddha to live another an eon. He defended that he was under the influence of the Mara at that time.
(5) Helping females to join the order of nuns. He defended that because he respect to Prājapati gotami.
From Mahāsanghika Dulva,
(6) Venerable Ananda was charged for not giving water when the Buddha requested it.
(7) Venerable Ananda was blamed for showing the hidden parts of the Buddha to the ordinary people.