Download Buddhist Scriptures

Buddhist Scriptures
Dhamma
Teachings of the Buddha
• Originally passed on orally
• Meetings of Buddhists at special places during
rainy seasons = passing on of recent teachings
and reminders of others
• People were used to remembering things ‘off by
heart’ as writing was not common practice.
• The rainy season lasts for many weeks – plenty
of time for discussion and learning.
The First Council
• During the first rainy season after the Buddha died
(usually given as around 483BCE), Buddhists met to
collate his teachings and agree on what he said.
• 500 senior members of the Sangha (Buddhist
community) made up what is known as the ‘First
Council’ and started to work through all of the Buddhist
teachings to decide which ones were definitely taught
by the Buddha
• This work was confirmed almost one hundred years
later by a second council at Vaisali in around 386 BCE
Canonisation
• By the first century CE, the works were officially
collated and organised (canonised)
• These original teachings are known as the Pali
Canon, and are the main scriptures of
Theravada Buddhism.
• The Pali Canon is accepted by all Buddhists,
although schools other than Theravada also
accept later works.
• The Pali Canon is made up of the Tripitaka
(Three Baskets). These are three different
collections of writing.
Tripitaka (Three Baskets)
Other Scriptures
• There are also non-canonical works that are
considered important teaching aids in Buddhism.
• For example, “The Questions of King Milinda” is
famous in Buddhism
• Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism accept
many other scriptures (as well as the Tripitaka)
as ‘canonical’ texts – they are written in many
languages and are considered as ‘newer’
revelations of the Buddha’s teaching, still
carrying the authority of the Buddha.
• Theravada Buddhists would usually not accept
these as authentic.
The Dhammapada
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Part of the Pali Canon (Sutta Pitaka ‘basket’)
Used by all Buddhists
Said to be the actual words of the Buddha
It ‘argues’ between the foolish person, and
the wise person who understands the path of
Buddhism
• It aims to ‘win’ the reader over to Buddhism
by logic, verse, prose, and clever argument!
• This is the main text you will need to
understand for this section of the course.