According to Buddhist tradition, 500 monks recited the teachings at the First Buddhist Council.
The council is traditionally said to have taken place soon after the Buddha’s death. Buddhist accounts describe senior monks gathering to preserve the teachings and monastic discipline through communal recitation. The traditional number of participants is 500 arahants, or fully awakened disciples.
Ananda is associated with reciting the discourses, while Upali is associated with reciting the monastic discipline. Maha Kassapa is traditionally described as presiding over the council. These roles are separate from the council’s traditional participant count.
The council’s historic details are preserved in later Buddhist traditions, and scholars discuss how much of the account reflects early events and how much developed over time. Nevertheless, 500 monks is the standard traditional figure.