Overview of the Tipitaka Scriptures

The voluminous Tipitaka, which contains the essence of the Buddha's Teaching, is estimated to be about eleven times the size of the Bible. A striking contrast between the Tipitaka and the Bible is that the former is not gradual developement like the latter.

As the word itself implies the Tipitaka consists of three baskets. They are the Basket of Discipline (Vinaya Pitaka) , the Basket of Discourses (Sutta Pitaka) , and the Basket of Ultimate Doctrine (Abhidhamma Pitaka).

The Vinaya Pitaka consists of the following five books :

Vibhanga :

Parajika Pali - Major Offences
Pacittiya Pali - Minor Offences

Khandaka :

Mahavagga Pali - Greater Section
Cullavagga Pali - Shorter Section
Parivara Pali - Epitome of the Vinaya

The Sutta Pitaka consists of fives Nikayas or collections :

Digha Nikaya (Collection of Long Discourse)
Majjhima Nikaya (Collection of Middle-Length Discourses)
Samyutta Nikaya (Collection of Kindred Sayings)
Anguttara Nikaya (Collection of Discourses arranged in accordance with numbers)
Khuddaka Nikaya (Smaller Collection)

The fifth is subdivided into fifteen books :
- Khuddaka Patha (Smaller Collection)
- Dhammapada (Way of Truth)
- Udana (Paens of Joy)
- Iti Vuttaka ("Thus said" Discourses)
- Sutta Nipata (Collected Discourses)
- Vimana Vatthu (Stories of Celestial mansions)
- Peta Vatthu (Stories of Petas)
- Theragatha (Psalms of the Brethen)
- Therigatha (Psalms of the Sisters)
- Jataka (Birth Stories)
- Niddesa (Expositions)
- Patisambhida Magga (Analytical Knowledges)
- Apadana (Lives of Arahats)
- Buddhavamsa (The History of the Budddha)
- Cariya pitaka (Modes of Conduct)

The Abhidhamma Pitaka consists of seven books :

Dhammasangani (Classification of Dhammas)
Vibhanga (The Book of Divisions)
Katha-Vathu (Points of Controversy)
Puggala-Pannatti (Description of Individuals)
Dhatu-Katha (Discussion with reference to elements)
Yamaka (The Book of Pairs)
Patthana (The Book of Relations)