The four major assemblies (sangitis) of Buddhist monks held after the Buddha's death to compile his teachings and resolve doctrinal disputes, each tied to a king and a place.
- First council: at Rajgir (Rajagriha), under Ajatashatru, presided by Mahakassapa, soon after the Buddha's death (about 483 BCE); compiled the Sutta Pitaka (Ananda) and the Vinaya Pitaka (Upali).
- Second council: at Vaishali, under Kalashoka, about 383 BCE (a century later); over rules of discipline, leading to the first split into Sthaviravadins and Mahasanghikas.
- Third council: at Pataliputra, under Ashoka, about 250 BCE, presided by Moggaliputta Tissa; compiled the Abhidhamma Pitaka, completing the Tripitaka, and launched the Buddhist missions.
- Fourth council: in Kashmir (Kundalavana), under Kanishka, about the 1st century CE, presided by Vasumitra with Ashvaghosha; formalised the split into Mahayana and Hinayana; texts written in Sanskrit.
Council-to-king and council-to-place matching (First-Rajgir-Ajatashatru, Second-Vaishali-Kalashoka, Third-Pataliputra-Ashoka, Fourth-Kashmir-Kanishka) is one of the most frequently tested ancient-history grids.
The Tripitaka was completed at the third council (Abhidhamma added), not the first; the Mahayana-Hinayana split is associated with the fourth council under Kanishka, while the earlier Sthaviravadin-Mahasanghika split came at the second.
Rajgir-Ajatashatru, Vaishali-Kalashoka, Pataliputra-Ashoka, Kashmir-Kanishka.