Structure of Buddhist Literature
त्रिपिटक - The Three Baskets
Sutta Pitaka
Basket of Discourses
Contains over 10,000 discourses delivered by the Buddha and his close disciples. Organized into five Nikayas covering ethics, meditation, wisdom, and the path to enlightenment.
Vinaya Pitaka
Basket of Discipline
The monastic code containing 227 rules for monks and 311 for nuns, along with stories of their origin and procedures for the sangha community.
Abhidhamma Pitaka
Basket of Higher Doctrine
Systematic philosophical and psychological analysis of the Buddha's teachings, exploring the nature of mind, matter, and the ultimate realities.
Major Buddhist Schools & Their Literature
🏛️
Theravada
Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar
🌸
Mahayana
China, Japan, Korea
⚡
Vajrayana
Tibet, Mongolia, Bhutan
🧘
Zen
Japan, China