Tipiṭaka

Tipiṭaka is the name given to the Buddhist sacred scriptures and is made up of two words; ti meaning ‘three’ and piṭaka meaning ‘basket’. The word basket was given to these writings because they were orally transmitted for some centuries, the way a basket of earth at a construction site might be relayed from the head of one worker to another. The three parts of the Tipiṭaka are the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Sutta Piṭaka, and the Abhidhamma Piṭaka. The Tipiṭaka was composed in the Pāḷi language and takes up more than 40 volumes in an English translation. It is the largest sacred book of any of the great world religions. See Oral Transmission.

The Basket of Discourses
Sutta Piṭaka

1. The Collection of Long Discourses Dīgha Nikāya
2. The Collection of Middle Length Discourses Majjhima Nikāya
3. The Collection of Kindred Discourses Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. The Collection of Gradual Discourses Aṅguttara Nikāya
5. The Miscellaneous Collection Khuddaka Nikāya

The Basket of Discipline
Vinaya Piṭaka

1. Major Offences Pārājika Pāli
2. Minor Offences Pācittiya Pāli
3. Greater Section Mahā Vagga
4. Lesser Section Cullavagga
5. Epitome of Discipline Parivāra

The Basket of Analysis
Abhidhamma Piṭaka

1. Classification of Phenomenon Dhammasaṅgaṇi
2. Division Vibhaṅga
3. Discourse on Elements Dhātukathā
4. Human Types Puggala Paññatti
5. Points of Controversy Kathāvatthu
6. The Book of Pairs Yamaka
7. Causal Relations Paṭṭhāna

Books of the Miscellaneous Collection (Khuddaka Nikāya)

1. Miscellaneous Text Khuddaka Pātha
2. Path of Dhamma Dhammapada
3. Verses of Uplift Udāna
4. The Thus Said Itivuttaka
5. Discourse Collection Sutta Nipāta
6. Stories of Mansions Vimāna Vatthu
7. Stories of The Departed Peta Vatthu
8. Verses of The Monks Theragāthā
9. Verses of The Nuns Therīgāthā
10. Birth Stories Jātaka
11. Expositions Niddesa
12. Way of Analytical Knowledge Paṭisambhidāmagga
13. Lives of The Saints Apadāna
14. History of The Buddha Buddhavaṃsa
15. Basket of Conduct Cariyā Piṭaka