Buddhist Statues :: Laughing Buddha and Protective Dragon

All things have a story...

The earliest collection of writings in Buddhism is called the Tripitaka, which means "three baskets," and consists of the three main sacred scriptures in the religion of Buddhism. The Tripitaka was originally composed orally, but by circa 300 BC, it was written on long, narrow leaves. These leaves were strung together and stacks of them were stored in baskets. The baskets were divided by the content written on the leaves. The first basket is known as the Disciple Basket, or "Vinaya Basket," and lists the guidelines for living a monastic life in the Sangha (monastic community). The rules focus on 227 regulations that monks must adhere to within the monastic community, including rules for interaction between the monks, daily conduct and even how to make robes. These rules are known as the "Bhikkhunis" in Sanskrit.

The second basket concerns the discourses of the Buddha and is known as the "Sutra Pitaka". This basket contains a written record of the teachings of the Buddha and his sermons. It primarily centers on moral behavior for Buddhists and speaks on matters of theology.

The third and last basket is known as the Special Teachings, also called "Abhidharma Pitaka," and is a miscellaneous gathering of writings that include poetry, songs and stories of the Buddha. Within this section of the Tripitaka is a popular Buddhist text called the "Dhammapada". It consists of aphorisms of the Buddha and simple discussions of Buddhism. In Theravada Buddhism, which is the primary religion in Sri Lanka, Thailand and other parts of South East Asia, the Tripitaka is the only canonical text studied and followed. Numerous different interpretations of the Tripitaka have been offered through the centuries but it remains one of the crown jewels of Buddhism and will continue to play a significant role in the religion for years to come.