Scared texts and Writings
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When the teachings of a reliogion are written down they are known as scriptures.There are many Buddhists scriptures and they all play a part in preserving what the Buddha Taught.
Theravada Scriptures
The Buddha's teachings were traditionally memorised by members of the Sangha and passed on by word of mouth. But sometime after Budda Siddhattha's death the Theravada Sangha decided to write them down. They wrote mostly in the Pali language which in writings they became known as the Pali canon or Tripitaka. The Pali canon is the Buddhist scriptures most earliest and complete collection of writings. It is sometimes known as the "Three baskets" because of how the first ever copies were written on palm leaves and placed in baskets.
THE THREE BASKETS
1. The Vinaya Pitaka- Basket of discipline
This contains the rules that the Buddha taught monks and nuns for them to live by.
2.The Sutta Pitaka- Basket of discourses
This makes up over half of the Pali Canon and contains writings called the Dhammapada and the Jataka Tales. The Dhammapada is a collection of the Buddha's sayings arranged as 423 verses and split into 26 chapters. Buddhists believe that in order to become enlightened a person has to live many lives. Buddha's past lives are laid out in the Jataka Tales which consist of about 500 stories. Jataka means 'birth story'. Many of the tales are about animals because the Buddha was often born into the animal kingdom.
3. The Abhidamma Pitaka- Basket of higher teachings
These writings explore and sum up the teachings of Buddhism.
Mahayana Scriptures
When Buddhism spread to places such as Tibet more scriptures were created. Many were written in Sanskrit (an ancient Indian language) and later translated into Chinese and Tibetan. These Mahayana scriptures include the Vinaya Pitaka and Sutta Pitaka. Many other scriptures that are not always historically traced back to the Buddha, But which are considered to be higher teachings he did not reveal during his lifetime.
The Lotus Sutta
The best known of other scriptures is the Lotus Sutta which is especially popular in China and Japan, it explains some of the central ideas of Mahayana Buddhism. This includes the belief that the Buddha while still focusing on the goal
of enlightenment.
Heart and Diamond Suttas
Buddhists are the Heart and Diamond Suttas, which teach readers and followers how to become wise
Theravada Scriptures
The Buddha's teachings were traditionally memorised by members of the Sangha and passed on by word of mouth. But sometime after Budda Siddhattha's death the Theravada Sangha decided to write them down. They wrote mostly in the Pali language which in writings they became known as the Pali canon or Tripitaka. The Pali canon is the Buddhist scriptures most earliest and complete collection of writings. It is sometimes known as the "Three baskets" because of how the first ever copies were written on palm leaves and placed in baskets.
THE THREE BASKETS
1. The Vinaya Pitaka- Basket of discipline
This contains the rules that the Buddha taught monks and nuns for them to live by.
2.The Sutta Pitaka- Basket of discourses
This makes up over half of the Pali Canon and contains writings called the Dhammapada and the Jataka Tales. The Dhammapada is a collection of the Buddha's sayings arranged as 423 verses and split into 26 chapters. Buddhists believe that in order to become enlightened a person has to live many lives. Buddha's past lives are laid out in the Jataka Tales which consist of about 500 stories. Jataka means 'birth story'. Many of the tales are about animals because the Buddha was often born into the animal kingdom.
3. The Abhidamma Pitaka- Basket of higher teachings
These writings explore and sum up the teachings of Buddhism.
Mahayana Scriptures
When Buddhism spread to places such as Tibet more scriptures were created. Many were written in Sanskrit (an ancient Indian language) and later translated into Chinese and Tibetan. These Mahayana scriptures include the Vinaya Pitaka and Sutta Pitaka. Many other scriptures that are not always historically traced back to the Buddha, But which are considered to be higher teachings he did not reveal during his lifetime.
The Lotus Sutta
The best known of other scriptures is the Lotus Sutta which is especially popular in China and Japan, it explains some of the central ideas of Mahayana Buddhism. This includes the belief that the Buddha while still focusing on the goal
of enlightenment.
Heart and Diamond Suttas
Buddhists are the Heart and Diamond Suttas, which teach readers and followers how to become wise