RAS question
The Fourth Buddhist Council was held during the reign of:
Correct answer: (C) Kanishka.
The Fourth Buddhist Council was held at Kundalavana in Kashmir during the reign of the Kushan king Kanishka.
Explanation
NIOS identifies Kanishka as the most famous Kushan ruler and says he convened the Fourth Buddhist Council at Kundalavana, present-day Harwan near Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. The council marked a major doctrinal turning point: Buddhism split into the Hinayana and Mahayana schools there. The council was presided over by Vasumitra, with Ashvaghosha as vice-president, and took place in the first-second century CE. That combination of ruler, venue and outcome places the Fourth Buddhist Council in Kanishka's reign, not merely under a Buddhist patron among several ancient Indian kings.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Kalashoka is linked with the Second Buddhist Council at Vaishali, not the Fourth Council at Kundalavana under Kanishka.
- (B) Ashoka is associated with the Third Buddhist Council at Pataliputra, so his reign does not match the Fourth Council at Kundalavana.
- (D) Ajatashatru is associated with the First Buddhist Council at Rajagriha, whereas the Fourth Council belongs to Kanishka's reign.
Concept
The chronology of Buddhist councils and their political patrons is a recurring RAS theme because it connects ancient religious history with ruling dynasties, places and sectarian developments.