Why did Buddha not appoint a successor?

He wanted the Sangha to be a democratic community guided by impersonal laws (Dhamma) rather than by the personal authority of a single leader.

Buddhist Monastic Organization

UPSC Archival Analysis

Q: Whom of the following did Gautam Buddha nominate for the leadership of Buddhist Sangha after his death?

Gautama Buddha did not nominate any single person to lead the Sangha after his death. He instructed his followers to let the Dhamma and the Vinaya be their guide.

Exam Year

2002

Evidence Source

Link

ID: HIS_PHI_2002_141 Ref: Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings