Context: Prime Minister Modi who is on a state visit to Thailand was gifted the holy scripture of ‘World Tipitaka” by his Thailand counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Meaning of the context: The Tipitaka, also known as the Tripitaka in Sanskrit, is a revered compilation of Lord Buddha’s teachings and serves as the principal Buddhist scripture.

Learn more:

• The Tripitaka, also known as the Pali Canon, is the earliest and most authoritative collection of Buddhist scriptures.
• The term Tripitaka or Tipitaka (sanskrit word) translates to “Three Baskets,” referring to the three main divisions of Buddhist scriptures:
  • Vinaya Pitaka (Basket of Discipline)
    • Deals with monastic rules and discipline for monks (bhikkhus) and nuns (bhikkhunis).
    • Contains over 220 rules for monastics.
    • Also includes stories and justifications for the rules (origin stories).
    • Significance: Establishes the Sangha’s code of conduct, promoting harmony and discipline.
  • Sutta Pitaka (Basket of Discourses)
    • Contains the teachings and sermons of Gautama Buddha.
    • Divided into 5 Nikayas (collections):
      • Digha Nikaya – Long Discourses
      • Majjhima Nikaya – Middle Length Discourses
      • Samyutta Nikaya – Connected Discourses
      • Anguttara Nikaya – Numerical Discourses
      • Khuddaka Nikaya – Minor Collection (includes Dhammapada, Jataka tales, etc.)
    • Significance: The main source of Buddhist philosophy and ethical teachings.
  • Abhidhamma Pitaka (Basket of Higher Doctrine)
    • Contains philosophical and psychological analysis of Buddhist doctrine.
    • More abstract and systematic.
    • Deals with classification of mind, matter, mental states, etc.
    • Significance: Basis for later Buddhist metaphysics and psychology
• The Tripitaka was originally transmitted orally by Buddhist monks before being written down in various languages, including Pali, Sanskrit, Chinese, and Tibetan.
• The Theravada school preserves the only complete Tripitaka in Pali, while other Buddhist traditions have their own versions, such as the Sarvastivada Tripitaka in Sanskrit.
• The texts were compiled and finalized during early Buddhist councils, particularly the First Buddhist Council, held shortly after the Buddha’s death.

Source : CNBC