Question

The fourth Buddhist council was held at_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
A.Pataliputra
B.Vaishali
C.Kundalavana
D.Bodh Gaya

Answer 1

Hint: The Buddhist councils began since the death of historical Siddhartha Gautama Buddha and have continued into the modern age, the purpose of these councils are to resolve disciplinary and theological conflicts and also to precise the contents of sutras. These meetings are frequently termed as “Buddhist councils”.

Complete answer:
After the death of Buddha, around 478 B.C a meeting was held at Rajagriha which included 500 monks that represented several sanghas under the leadership of Mahakassapa. After that the second Buddhist council was held about hundred years after the death of Buddha at Vaishali, around 387 B.C the aim of the council was to discuss the critical differences that appeared within the Buddhists over the accurate elucidation of the practices and teachings of Buddha. Then the third Buddhist council was held about 236 years after the death of Buddha at pataliputra, during the rule of Asoka and it has been said that Asoka also attended this Buddhist council.
 The fourth Buddhist council consists of two separate Buddhist councils. The first one was held at the Anuradhapura Maha viharaya in Sri Lanka and is traditionally ascribed to the first century BCE and the next one ( fourth Buddhist council) was held at kundalavana in 72 AD that is near Srinagar, Kashmir. This fourth council was summoned by the kushan emperor kanishka, Vasumitra was the president of this council and Asvaghosa was his deputy. These four Buddhist councils helped its followers to sort out every difference in a peaceful and democratic way.The fourth Buddhist council was held at Kundalavana.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C).

Note:The purpose of the fourth council was to deal with the critical dispute between the Gandhara and the sarvastivada teachers of Kashmir. During the council the sarvastivadin beliefs were ordered into a Mahavibhasa including three large commentaries on the pitakas. The four Buddhist councils can be examined as the “fourth mile stones” in Buddhism history.