From the INCEPTION OF DISCIPLINE
and VINAYA-NIDANA Being
a Translation and Edition
of the Bdhiraniddna of
Buddhaghosa’s Samantapasidika, the Vinaya Commentary
by N. A. JAYAWICKRAMA
18] How is it threefold according to the Piṭakas ?
Indeed, all this, in its entirety, has the three divisions as the Vinayapiṭaka, the Suttantapiṭaka, and the Abhidhammapiṭaka.
Therein, having brought together all that has been both rehearsed and not at the First Convocation,
both Pātimokkha, the two Vibhaṅgas, the twenty-two Khandhakas, and the sixteen Parivāras,
it is called the Vinayapiṭaka.
The collection of the thirty-four suttas beginning with Brahmajāla, called the Dīghanikāya;
that of 152 suttas beginning with Mūlapariyāya, called the Majjhimanikāya;
that of 7,762 suttas beginning with Oghataraṇa Sutta, called the Saṃyuttanikāya;
that of 9,557 suttas beginning with the Cittapariyādāna Sutta, called the Aṅguttaranikāya;
and the Khuddakanikāya, consisting of the fifteen works:Khuddakapāṭha, Dhammapada, Udāna, Itivuttaka, Suttanipāta, Vimānavatthu, Petavatthu, Thera- and Therīgāthā, Jātaka, Niddesa, Paṭisambhidā, Apadāna, Buddhavaṃsa, and Cariyāpiṭaka,
are called the Suttantapiṭaka. [16]
Dhammasaṅgaṇi, Vibhaṅga, Dhātukathā, Puggalapaññatti, Kathāvatthu, Yamaka, and Paṭṭhāna constitute the Abhidhammapiṭaka.
In this manner should the Piṭakas be known in their divers aspects:
and in accordance with them the word of the Buddha should be understood as being threefold. [24]
Note I exclude a section here
30. How is it fivefold according to the division into Nikāyas?
All this falls into the fivefold division:
Dīghanikāya, Majjhimanikāya, Saṃyuttanikāya, Aṅguttaranikāya, and Khuddakanikāya.Therein, what is the Dīghanikāya?
The thirty-four suttas commencing with Brahmajāla, arranged in three vaggas (groups).
The thirty-four long suttas whose arrangement is in three vaggas is called the Dīghanikāya, the first in serial order.And why is it called the Dīghanikāya?
On account of the fact that it is a collection and place for suttas long in measure (it is so termed),
and it is called a Nikāya as all of them are placed together as a collection.
[27] In statements such as,
“O monks, I do not see any other group that is so variegated as creatures of the animal kingdom,
as the kingdom of those that go prone and of those that live in the mud,”are found examples both from the doctrinal aspect and popular usage.
Thus should the connotation of the term Nikāya be understood even with reference to the others.What is the Majjhimanikāya ?
The 152 suttas of medium length commencing with the Mūlapariyāya Sutta and arranged in fifteen vaggas.
That which contains 150 suttantas and two other suttas, comprising fifteen vaggas, is called the Majjhimanikāya.What is the Saṃyuttanikāya ?
The 7,762 suttas commencing with the Oghataraṇa Sutta and classified under such topics as the Devatā Saṃyutta.
Seven thousand suttas and seven hundred of them as well as sixty-two suttantas — this is the Saṃyutta collection.What is the Aṅguttaranikāya ?
The 9,557 suttas commencing with the Cittapariyādāna, the “Summary Grasping of the Mind,” which occur as one factor in excess of each preceding one.
Nine thousand suttas and five hundred suttas and fifty-seven other suttas form the number in the Aṅguttara.
What is the Khuddakanikāya ?
The rest of the word of the Buddha, including the entire Vinaya Piṭaka, the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, and the fifteen divisions commencing with the Khuddakapāṭha enumerated earlier, leaving aside the four Nikāyas.
[28] The rest of the word of the Buddha, excluding these four Nikāyas such as the Dīgha, is considered the Khuddakanikāya.Thus it is fivefold according to (the division into) Nikāyas.
31. How is it ninefold according to (the classification into) Aṅgas?
All this is comprised under the ninefold division:
Sutta, Geyya, Veyyākaraṇa, Gāthā, Udāna, Itivuttaka, Jātaka, Abbhutadhamma, and Vedalla.Herein,
the twofold Vibhaṅga, the Niddesas, the Khandhaka, the Parivāra, Maṅgala, Ratana, Nālaka, and Tuvātaka Suttas of the Sutta Nipāta and other sayings of the Tathāgata bearing the name Sutta should be known as Sutta (Discourses).All the suttas containing stanzas should be known as Geyya (Recitations),
particularly the entire Sagāthāvagga (Chapter with Stanzas) in the Saṃyutta.The whole of the Abhidhamma Piṭaka,
suttas which contain no stanzas,
and any other (sayings from the) word of the Buddha not included in the other eight Aṅgas
should be known as Veyyākaraṇa (Expositions).The Dhammapada, Theragāthā, Therīgāthā,
and sections entirely in verse in the Sutta Nipāta which are not designated as suttas
should be known as Gāthā (Stanzas).The eighty-two suttantas containing stanzas which were prompted by an awareness of joy
should be known as Udāna (Utterances of Joy).The 112 suttantas which have been handed down
prefixed with the statement,“For this has been said by the Exalted One,”
should be known as Itivuttaka (Thus-Saids).The 550 Birth Stories commencing with Apannaka
should be known as Jātaka (Birth Stories).
All the suttantas connected with wonderful and marvellous phenomena,
handed down with words to such effect as,“O monks, these four wonderful and marvellous qualities are seen in Ānanda,”
should be known as Abbhutadhamma (Marvellous Phenomena).The whole of the dialogues handed down with words to such effect as,
“What now, friend Sāriputta?,”
should be known as Vedalla (Catechisms).Thus it is ninefold according to (the classification into) Aṅgas.
32. How is it eighty-four thousandfold according to the Dhammakkhandhas (Units of the Dhamma)?
All this, the entire word of the Buddha, has 84,000 divisions according to the Units of the Dhamma as laid down in the following manner:
“I have taken 82,000 from the Buddha, and 2,000 from the monks.”
Herein, a sutta with a unitary application is one Unit of the Dhamma.
Whatever is of multiple application, the number of Units of the Dhamma in it depends on the number of topics of application.In metrical compositions, the question and the answer form two different Units of the Dhamma.
In the Abhidhamma, each analysis of a triad or a dyad or the analysis of each thought-process forms a separate Unit of the Dhamma.In the Vinaya, there are the subjects for rules, tabulations, analysis of terms, secondary conditions of guilt and of innocence, and the demarcation of the threefold delimiting factors of offences.
Herein, each category should be understood as a separate Unit of the Dhamma.Thus it has divisions according to the Units of the Dhamma.
33. Thus, this word of the Buddha, which is uniform in sentiment taken as a whole,
having 84,000 divisions as the Dhamma and the Vinaya in the divisions such as those into two and so forth,
has been laid down as:“This is the Dhamma and this is the Vinaya;
these are the first, intermediate, and final sayings of the Buddha;
these are the Vinaya, Sutta, and Abhidhamma Piṭakas;
these are the Nikāyas from Dīgha to Khuddaka;
these are the nine Aṅgas commencing with Sutta;
and these are the eighty-four thousand Units of the Dhamma.”This was rehearsed together by the assembly (without division),
and consists of such self-controlled monks, with Mahākassapa as their leader, verily observing this distinction.
[30]
And not only this, but other divers distinctions in compilation to be met with in the three Piṭakas,
such as the stanzas containing lists of contents, the arrangement into chapters, the noting down of repetitions,
and the classification into kindred sections of ones, twos, and so forth,
that into groups of kindred topics, and into groups of fifties and so forth,
have been determined when it was thus rehearsed together in seven months.And at the conclusion of its rehearsal this great earth trembled and quaked,
shook and shook violently many times over, up to its ocean-limits,
as though giving its blessing at the joy produced that this Dispensation of the Lord of Ten Powers
had been made by the Elder Mahākassapa to last a period of time extending 5,000 years.And many wondrous things became manifest.
And this is the First Great Convocation which is commonly known in the world as:“Held by five hundred, and hence called Pertaining to the Five Hundred;
termed as that of the Elders.”Here ends the First Great Convocation.
