The Traditional Pali Canon

The traditional Pali Canon is divided into three parts called pikatas. Roughly translated, this means basket, and as there are three sections, the Canon is often referred to as the tipitaka, or three baskets. The term basket is thought to indicate a collection or carrier, as these categories are collections of various commentaries and subcommentaries.

Vinaya Pitaka

The Vinaya Pitaka is the first section of the Pali Canon and is heavily concentrated on the code of ethics to be followed by monks and nuns of the Buddhist faith. The rules contained within this section are often preceded by stories of each rule’s origin and the meaning of Buddha’s declaration on a particular issue. According to the stories contained in the Vinaya Pitaka, the rules were developed as necessary by Buddha in regards to the needs and behaviors of his followers.

Sutta Pitaka

The term Sutta Pitaka translates as a basket of threads, and contains accounts of Buddha’s teachings. This aspect of the Pali Canon is considered authentic by all factions of Buddhism, although other branches might call the section by a different name. The Sutta Pitaka is arranged in five subdivisions, or nikayas, and the first four are easily understood prose adaptations of stories with a standard formula. The fifth section is a compilation of miscellaneous prose or verse works.

Abhidhamma Pitaka

The third, and final, category is the Abhidhamma Pitaka, or higher dhamma. This section contains the basic elements of the Sutta Pitaka reworked into a systemic description of the nature of the mind and matter. There are seven books in this collection focusing only on the underlying principals drawn from the previous pitaka.