dear souls for the knowledge
here is a little extract from the lectures, given by Dr. Karunadassa (Sri-
Lanka)
As response to above discussion would like to add a few words, on
dating the time of Buddha's existence, probably it would sound a bit
awkward, but never mind. There are different theories as all of you had
agreed, about Buddha's birth, life and Parinibbana's dates. The Buddha
had passed away/ attained Parinibbaana at his eighty years of age. After
one month and two weeks (first week until Mahakasapa heard the new
of Buddha's demise and on his way to Kusinara, then one more week
took to distribute urn with relics of the Buddha among followers. First
month of rein-season before Council started), there was held First
Buddhist Council of Five Hundred Elders, later on, one hundred years
after Buddha's demise, the Seven Hundred Elders' Council took place.
Hundred and 18 years passed when Asoka took the throne and held
third Council. It was the year 268 B.C.E. [So it will look like this
268+118+100=486 B.C.E. is the year of Buddha's demise. This
calculation is according to the Sri-Lankan chronicles. According to well
accepted data of his missionary years he spent Eighty years,
486+80=566 B.C.E. the year of his birth].
According to Bavya's countings, Buddha's death 160 years before
Asoka's succession. (Nikaayabhedavibhanga-vyaakhyaana, Peking
no.5640)
According to Northern Buddhist Schools-116 years before Asoka took the
throne. (stated by Japanese scholar Ui Hakuju, /1882-1963/, based on
account that only five kings had ruled since Buddha's demise until
Asoka's reign. Took evidence from sources of Northern schools, that
mentioned 116 years passed since Buddha's demise and Asoka's reign.)
For detailed reference look for the book `A history of Indian Buddhism,
from Saakyamuni to Early Mahaayaana' by Hirakawa Akira. Edited and
translated by Paul Groner. ` the survey of Indian Philosophy" with
bibliography. Auther unknown to me and the name of the book might not
be correct, but in anyway, word `the survey' is present in book's title.
With hope it will help you
Sitala ven
--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, "rahula_80" <rahula_80@...> wrote:
>
>
> Hi,
>
> See
> 1. The Vedic Buddha Date
> http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET0003/ET14-5679.html
>
> See also:
> http://www.geocities.com/narenp/history/info/epilogue.htm
> http://www.geocities.com/~ramayanam/india_history.htm
>
> 2. Reestablishing the Date of Lord Buddha
> by Stephen Knapp
> http://www.stephen-
knapp.com/reestablishing_the_date_of_buddha.htm
>
> 3. The Date of the Buddha
> http://www.umass.edu/wsp/conferences/lectures/buddha.html
>
> 4. The Date of the Historical Sakyamuni Buddha
> edited by A.K. Narain
> https://www.vedamsbooks.com/no31325.htm
>
> 5. When Did The Buddha Live? : The Controversy on the Dating of the
> Historical Buddha--Selected Papers Based on a Symposium held under
> the Auspices of the Academy of Sciences in Gottingen/edited by Heinz
> Bechert. 1995, 387 p.,
> https://www.vedamsbooks.com/10723.htm
>
> 6. The Dating of the Historical Buddha:A Review Article
> L. S. COUSINS
> http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucgadkw/position/buddha/buddha.html
>
> 7. There is also an article, but the link has expired. Go to
> google.com, type "Buddha 788 BC"
>
> The text from that website:
>
> The distance from the start of the Ascending Passageway to the
> fourth Girdle Stone (of Buddha) is 1069.86801156 P". When you
> subtract this from the fourth Overlay (of Buddha), 1856.77471784 P" -
> 1069.86801156 P", you get 786.906706285 P", or August 12th, 788
> B.C., the date for the Advent of Buddha. (see Figure 14)