Tipitaka

An Authentic Pâli Canon

- Bhikshu Sangharakshit "Saddhamma Kovid"
Lecturer: Centre Department of Buddhist Studies, T.U.
Email: sangha1000@hotmail.com, sangha1000@enet.com.np
Introduction:
The main authentic and Buddhist literature is called Tipitaka (pâli) or tripitaka (Sanskrit).
Tipitaka is the collection of the teachings of the Buddha over 45 years in the Pali language, and it
consists of Sutta - conventional teaching, Vinaya - disciplinary code, and Abhidhamma - moral
psychology. According to Buddhist Dictionary, the word Tipitaka means the three Baskets. They are
the name for the 3 main divisions of the Pâli Canon: the Basket of Discipline (Vinaya Pitaka), the
Basket of Discourses (Sutta Pitaka) and the Basket of Philosophy (Abhidhamma Pitaka).1

The word "Tipitaka" come from Pâli language prevailing in Buddha's days. There are two
words including Tipitaka- "Ti" and "Pitaka". Here, "Ti" means three and "Pitaka" means baskets.
Simply, the word "Pitaka" literally means book or text and the other meaning is basket. Just as basket
collects so many things in it, Pitaka collect all the teachings of Buddha.2

After full Enlightenment, Buddha went to visit village after village, city after city and country
after country for preaching dharma for welfare of almost all general people. In fact, Buddha taught
dharma for 45 years and all that dharma was collected in one place by his intellectual Arahant disciples
and that is called the Tipitaka. Just as the main and important text is Veda for Hinduism, Bible for
Christian, Kuran for Muslim, even so, Tipitaka is the main text for Buddhists.

How Tipitaka came to existence?

Tipitaka was compiled and arranged in its present form by those Arahant Bhikhus who had
immediate contact with the Master Himself. The Buddha has passed away, but the sublime Dhamma
which he unreservedly bequeathed to humanity still exists in its pristine purity.3

In the period of Buddha, there was no Tipitaka. There was only Dhamma (Doctrine) and Vinaya
(Discipline). At the last stage of Mahparinibbna, Buddha told Ânanda Thero– "Ânanda, the discourses
and the disciplines I have taught and laid down to all of you will be your teacher when I am gone."4

It's clear that there was no any word of Tipitaka in live days of the Buddha but there existed
only Dhamma and Vinaya. Three months after the Death of the Buddha, in the eighth year of King
Ajâtasattu's reign, 500 most excellent Arahant Bhikhus (Monks) concerned with preserving the purity
of the Doctrine held Co recitation at Râjagriha to rehearse it. The Venerable Ânanda Thera, the Buddha's
beloved attendant who had the special opportunity and honour of hearing the discourses from the
Buddha Himself, and the Venerable Upâli Thera were chosen to answer questions respectively about
the Dhamma and the Vinaya. In this First Buddhist Council too, there the word Tipitaka was not
mentioned.5

One hundred years after the First Buddhist Council, during King Kâlâsoka, Second Buddhist
Council was held to rehearse the Word of the Buddha. In the Second Council, only matters pertaining
to the Vinaya were discussed and no controversy about the Dhamma was reported.

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 In the 3rd Century B.C., after 236 years of the First Buddhist Council, during the time of Emperor
Asoka, the Third Council was held to discuss the differences of opinion held by the Sangha community.
At this Council the differences were not confined to the Vinaya but were also connected with the
Dhamma. At the end of this Council, the President of the Council, Ven. Moggaliputta Tissa, compiled
a book called Kathavatthu contesting the heretical, false views and theories held by some disciples.
The teaching approved and accepted by this Council was known as Theravâda.6

Generally, Theravâda known as 'Doctrine of the Elders', is a name of the oldest form of the
Buddha's teachings, handed down to us in the Pali language.7 In this Third Buddhist Council, the word
Tipitaka was coined and all Buddha's teachings compiled in three baskets as known as Tipitaka. As the
word itself implies, the Tipitaka consists of three baskets, namely, the Basket of Discipline (Vinaya
Pitaka), the Basket of Discourses (Sutta Pitaka) and the Basket of Ultimate Things (Abhidhamma Pitaka).

First and Second Councils compiled and arranged in its present form the Pâli Tipitaka, which
represent the entire body of the Buddha's Teaching. At that time, Dhamma represented both Sutta
Pitaka and Avidhamma Pitaka. Clearly, Vinaya means the present Vinaya Pitaka.

Writing Phase of Buddha's Teaching as Tipitaka

Lord Buddha taught dhamma in his entire life after his enlightenment to monks, nuns and lay
followers called Upasaka and Upasika. Buddha only discoursed orally; there were no written records
of his teachings. After Mâhâparinibbana (passing away ) of Buddha, the orthodox arhats monks held
Councils time to time and collected and preserved all teachings of Buddha. Whenever the Tipitaka
was not committed to writing form, it was preserved by committing to memory and transmitting them
orally from teacher to disciples, generation to generation.8

About memorizing of Tipitaka, all monks didn't memorize all matters. They remembered limited
part of the Tipitaka. Such as Dighavânawaka monks recited Dighanikâya (long discourses of Buddha,
one part of Sutta Pitaka), Majjhimavânawaka monks recited Majjhimanikâya (medium discourses of
Buddha, one part of Sutta Pitaka), like it, separate monks recited separate and limited part of the
Tipitaka.

As mentioned in "A study of Vinayapitakapâli and parâjika text" thesis of master level of
Tribhuvan University, special monks, who preserved the Tipitaka by committing to memory, were
shown as follows: -9

A. Master monks who preserved Vinayapitaka

Those master monks who preserved Vinayapitaka since Ashoka were as follows:
1. Bhikkhu Upâli
2. Bhikkhu Dâsaka
3. Bhikkhu Sonaka
4. Bhikkhu Siggava
5. Bhikkhu Moggalitissa

B. Master monks who preserved Suttapitaka

Master monks, who preserved the Suttapitaka, were as follows:

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 1. Bhikkhu Ânanda took responsibility to preserve Dighanikaya by memory.
2. Students of Bhiikhu Sâriputra took responsibility to preserve Majjhimanikaya.
3. Bhikkhu Mâhâkassapa took responsibility to preserve Samyuttanikaya.
4. Bhikkhu Aniruddha took responsibility to preserve Anguttaranikaya.
5. Khuddakanikaya was preserved by all master monks.

C. Master monks who preserved Avidhammapitaka

The generations of monk-tradition to preserve Avidhamma Pitaka were as follows:

1. Bhikkhu Sâriputra Mâhâthero, who is the chief disciple of Buddha.

2. Bhikkhu Vaddaji,
3. Bhikkhu Sovita,
4. Bhikkhu Piyajali,
5. Bhikkhu Piyapâla,
6. Bhikkhu Piyadassi,
7. Bhikkhu Kosiyaputra,
8. Bhikkhu Siwagga,
9. Bhikkhu Sandeha,
10. Bhikkhu Moggaliputta,
11. Bhikkhu Tissadatta,
12. Bhikkhu Dhammiya,
13. Bhikkhu Dâsaka,
14. Bhikkhu Sonaka,
15. Bhikkhu Rewata.

In the First Century B.C.,10 during the reign of the religious Simhala King Vatta Gâmani Abbaya,
the Fourth Buddhist Council was held in Sri Lanka. It was the first time in the history of Buddhism that
the Tipitaka was committed to writing at Aloka vihâra. The first Tipitaka was written in
Palm-leaves (Skt. Talapatra) and the Tipitaka was recited one hundred times for it's purity.

In the reign of King Mindon, the Fifth Council was held in Mandalay, Burma in 1871 A.D,
which is now known as Myanmar. The chief objective of this meeting was to recite all the teachings of
the Buddha and examine them in minute details to see if any of them had been changed, distorted or
dropped. It was controlled over by three Elder monks, the Venerable Mahathera Jagarabhivamsa, the
Venerable Narindabhidhaja, and the Venerable Mâhâthera Sumangalasami in the corporation of two
thousand four hundred monks (2400). Their joint Dhamma recitation continued for five months. After
its recitation had been completed and generally approved in this Fifth Council, the entire Tipitaka was
inscribed for posterity on seven hundred and twenty-nine (729) marble slabs in the Myanmar script.
This monumental task was done by some two thousand four hundred (2,400) learned monks and many
skilled craftsmen who upon completion of each slab had them housed in beautiful miniature 'pitaka'
pagodas on a special site in the grounds of King Mindon's Kuthodaw Pagoda at the foot of Mandalay
Hill. It is called the 'largest book in the world', and stands to this day.11

Tipitaka was committed to be written in Palm-leaves and book form after purity in Buddhist
country Thailand. In the reign of King Tilokarâja, Tipitaka was written for the first time in 2020
Buddha Era (1476 AD) here. In the period of Phra wada Somdech, Phra Buddhayada Phwa, Tipitaka
was written for the second time in Palm-leaves after revision in 2331 Buddha Era (1787 AD). From
2431 Buddha Era (1887 AD) to 2436 Buddha Era (1892 AD), Tipitaka was written in book form after
revision in the time of Phrâ wada Somdech Phrâ Chulachama Kalau Châu Yu Huwâ. Tipitaka was
again written in revised book form at the time of Phrâ wada Somdech Phrâ pâk Kalâu Yu Huwâ from
2468 Buddha Era (1924 AD) to 2473 Buddha Erâ (1929 AD).12
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 The Sixth Buddhist Council was held in the Mâhâpâssâna Guhâ, 'the great cave' an artificial
cave similar to India's Sattapânni Cave where the first Buddhist Council had been held, Kaba-Aye in
Yangon, formerly Rangoon, Myanmar in 2498 Buddha Erâ (May,1954). It was sponsored by the Burmese
Government led by the then Prime Minister, the Honourable U Nu. Upon its completion The Council
met on the 17th of May, 1954. As in the case of the preceding councils, its first objective was to affirm
and preserve the genuine Dhamma and Vinaya. However it was unique in so far as the monks who
took part in it came from eight countries. These two thousand five hundred learned Theravada monks
came from Myanmar, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. Nyaung Yan
Sayadaw, Venerable Revata (Abhidhajamaharatthaguru), presided over it; the Mâhâsi Sayâdaw,
Venerable Sobhana (Aggamâhâpandita), and the Mingun Sayâdaw, Venerable Vicittasârabhivamsa
(Tipitakadhara Dhamma-bhandhagârika) took the leading roles in that council. By the time this council
met all the participating countries had had the Pali Tipitaka translated into their native scripts, with the
exception of India.

At that Council, not only the canonical Pali Texts of the Buddha but also the commentaries and
sub-commentaries were re-examined. Happily, it was found that there was not much difference in the
content of any of the texts. Finally, after the Council had officially approved them, all of the books of
the Tipitaka and their commentaries were prepared for printing on modern presses and published in
the Myanmar (Burmese) script. This notable achievement was made possible through the dedicated
efforts of the two thousand five hundred monks and numerous lay people. Their work came to an end
in May, 1956, two and a half millennia after the Lord Buddha's Mâhâparinibbana (The great decease).
This council's work was the unique achievement of representatives from the entire Buddhist world.
The version of the Tipitaka which it undertook to produce has been recognized as being true to the
perfect teachings of the Buddha and the most authoritative rendering of them to date.13

In the present context, Vipassana Research Institute, Dhammagiri, Igatpuri, India published
complete Tipitaka in book form of Devanâgari script and Computer CD of various scripts with main
source of the Pali text of the Chhattha Sangayana or the Sixth Buddhist Council, which made it easy
for students to study Tipitaka.

In Hindi, Sinhali (Sri Lanka), Thai (Thailand), Burmese (Myanmar) and so many scripts, Tipitaka
was published, which is really a happy matter for all of us. The native country of Buddha, Nepal, is
planning to publish Tipitaka in Nepal-Bhasa (Newari Language). In this Plan, almost all texts of Sutta
Pitaka were translated and published.14

In this way, Venerable Mâhâkâssapa and the custodians of the Dhamma held the great councils
up to six times and approved the words of the Buddha (Tipitaka) without any change and modification.
The Teaching of the Buddha thus approved is called Theravâda Buddhism.

The doctrine is preserved in the Tipitaka. This Tipitaka, which contains the word of the Buddha,
is estimated to be about eleven times the size of the Christian bible.15 It comprises eighty-four thousand
discourses, and Professor Rhys Davids estimated the total number of words of the whole text of the
Tipitaka to be 1,752,800.

Conclusion
No doubt, the Tipitaka is one of the most important and authentic text of Buddhism. The word
“Tipitaka” came existent not in live period of Buddha but 236 years after Mahaparinibbana of Buddha
in the Third Buddhist Council. Tipitaka was collected the Buddha’s word as 84000 Dhamma-Skandhas
which was discoursed by Buddha over 45 years of his life. Buddhists know it well that Tipitaka is one
of the most important and authentic text but no believe without self thinking and realizing.
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Footnotes

1. Nyanatiloka, Buddhist dictionary, Manual of Buddhist Terms and doctrines (Taiwan, The Corporate
Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation), pg: 180

2. Bhikkhu Sangharakshit, A Study of Vinayapitakapali and Parajika Text , Master Degree Thesis of
Central Department of Buddhist Study, Tribhuwan University, Nepal.

3. K.Sri. Dhammananda, “What Buddhist Believe” (Taiwan, The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational
Foundation, 1993 AD), pg: 62

4. Dundabahadur Bajracharya (Trans.), “Digha Nikaya” (Lalitpur, Bir-Purna Pustak Sangrahalaya, 2000 AD), pg: 279

5. Footnote 2

6. Foot note 3

7. Foot note 1

8. Foot note 2

9. Ibid

10. The date of the Forth Buddhist Council was diffent in different books. Such as: about 80 B.C. in What
Buddhist Believe by K.Sri Dhammananda, pg: 63, about 83 B.C. in Overview of Tipitaka Scriptures by
Narada Maha Thera, about 79 B.C. in Bauddha darpana by Prakaha Bajracharya, pg: 111 etc.

11. John Bullitt, “Beyond the Tipitaka, A Field Guide to Post-canonical Pali Literature” (by Internet
Book)

12. Prakaha Bajracharya, “Bauddha Darpana” (Kathmandu, Buddhajayanti Samaroha Samiti and
Dhammakirti Bauddha Adhyayan Gosthi, 2053 B.S.), pg: 111

13. Foot note 11

14. note 2

15. Narada, “THE BUDDHA AND HIS TEACHINGS” (Malaysia, Buddhist Missionary Society, 1988 AD), pg: 272

000