With reference to the Buddhist Councils, consider the following statements:

1. The First Buddhist Council was held at Rajagriha under the patronage of Ajatashatru.
2. The Second Buddhist Council was convened at Vaishali primarily to settle disputes regarding monastic discipline.
3. The Third Buddhist Council was held at Pataliputra under the patronage of Kanishka.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Key Fact(s)

The First Buddhist Council took place at Rajagriha (modern Rajgir) around 483 BCE and was presided over by Mahakassapa, where the teachings of the Buddha were compiled. The Second Council at Vaishali about a century later dealt mainly with differences in monastic discipline, leading to the first schism in the Sangha. The Third Council was convened at Pataliputra under Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE to purify the Sangha and systematize doctrine. The Fourth Council in Kashmir was patronized by Kanishka and is associated with the codification of Sarvastivada doctrines. These councils played a crucial role in the spread and doctrinal evolution of Buddhism across Asia.