The Textual Hierarchy: Root Texts, authorized Commentaries & Sub-commentaries according to CST

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The Pāli Tipiṭaka as approved by the Sixth Buddhist Council (Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana) is classified into five groups or collections, as follows. The size of each book as prescribed by the Religious Affairs Department Press is 7 1/2 inches x 11 inches.

The root (Mūla) (40 Volumes).

I. Dīgha Nikāya (Three Volumes).

  1. Sīlakkhandha-vagga (pp. 247)
  2. Mahāvagga (pp. 302)
  3. Pāthikavagga (pp. 291)

II. Majjhima Nikāya (Three Volumes).
4. Mūlapaṇṇāsa (pp. 434)
5. Majjhimapaṇṇāsa (pp. 471)
6. Uparipaṇṇāsa (pp. 374)

III. Saṃyutta Nikāya (Three Volumes).
7. Sagāthavagga and Nidānavagga (pp. 515)
8. Khandhavagga and Saḷāyatanavagga (pp. 592)
9. Mahāvagga (pp. 437)

IV. Aṅguttara Nikāya (Three Volumes).
10. Ekaka-duka-tika-nipātas (pp. 624)
11. Pañcaka-chakka-nipātas (pp. 546)
12. Aṭṭhaka-navaka-nipātas (pp. 591)
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V. Khuddaka Nikāya (Twenty Eight Volumes).

(a) Suttanta Piṭaka (Eleven Volumes).

  1. Khuddakapāṭha, Dhammapada, Udāna, Itivuttaka, Sutta Nipāta (pp. 530)
  2. Vimānavatthu, Petavatthu, Theragāthā, Therīgāthā (pp. 509)
  3. Apadāna Vol. I (pp. 533)
  4. Apadāna Vol. II (pp. 476)
  5. Mahāniddesa (pp. 481)
  6. Cūḷaniddesa (pp. 368)
  7. Jātaka Vol. I (pp. 496)
  8. Jātaka Vol. II (pp. 489)
  9. Paṭisambhidāmagga (pp. 446)
  10. Netti and Peṭakopadesa (pp. 374)
  11. Milindapañha (pp. 431)

(b) Vinaya Piṭaka (Five Volumes).

  1. Pārājika (pp. 404)
  2. Pācittiya (pp. 489)
  3. Mahāvagga (pp. 549)
  4. Cūḷavagga (pp. 542)
  5. Parivāra (pp. 426)

(c) Abhidhamma Piṭaka (Twelve Volumes).

  1. Dhammasaṅgaṇī (pp. 308)
  2. Vibhaṅga (pp. 466)
  3. Dhātukathā & Puggalapaññatti (pp. 200)
  4. Kathāvatthu (pp. 479)
  5. Yamaka Vol. I (pp. 273)
  6. Yamaka Vol. II (pp. 321)
  7. Yamaka Vol. III (pp. 338)
  8. Paṭṭhāna Vol. I (pp. 468)
  9. Paṭṭhāna Vol. II (pp. 502)
  10. Paṭṭhāna Vol. III (pp. 615)
  11. Paṭṭhāna Vol. IV (pp. 641)
  12. Paṭṭhāna Vol. V (pp. 446)

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The Pāli Tipiṭaka Aṭṭhakathās as approved by the Sixth Buddhist Council (Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana) are as follows, the size of each book is the same as that of the Pāli Canon Books:

(Commentaries) (Aṭṭhakathās) (52, Volumes).

1. Dīgha Nikāya (Sīlakkhandha vagga) Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 338).
2. Dīgha Nikāya Mahāvagga Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 403).
3. Dīgha Nikāya Pāthikavagga Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 251).
4. Mūlapaṇṇāsa Aṭṭhakathā Vol. I (pp. 398).
5. Mūlapaṇṇāsa Aṭṭhakathā Vol. II (pp. 320).
6. Mūlapaṇṇāsa Aṭṭhakathā Vol. III (pp. 309).
7. Majjhimapaṇṇāsa Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 309).
8. Uparipaṇṇāsa Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 254).
9. Sagāthavagga (Saṃyutta) Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 325).
10. Nidānavagga and Khandha (Saṃyutta) Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 324).
11. Saḷāyatanavagga & Mahāvagga (Saṃyutta) Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 341).
12. Aṅguttara Aṭṭhakathā Vol. I. (pp. 416).
13. Aṅguttara Aṭṭhakathā Vol. II (pp. 397).
14. Aṅguttara Aṭṭhakathā Vol. III (pp. pp. 357).
15. Pārājikakanda Aṭṭhakathā Vol. I. (pp. 346).
16. Pārājikakanda Aṭṭhakathā Vol. II. (pp. 312).
17. Pācityādi Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 437).
18. Cūḷavaggādi Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 265).
19. Kaṅkhāvitaraṇī Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 357).
20. Vinaya Saṅgaha Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 468).
21. Aṭṭhasālinī Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 454).
22. Sammohavinodanī Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 508).
23. Pañcappakaraṇa Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 499).
24. Khuddakapāṭha Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 216).
25. Dhammapada Aṭṭhakathā Vol. I. (pp. 447).
26. Dhammapada Aṭṭhakathā.
27. Udāna Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 393).
28. Itivuttaka Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 355).
29. Suttanipāta Aṭṭhakathā Vol. I. (pp. 314).
30. Suttanipāta Aṭṭhakathā Vol. II. (pp. 324).
31. Vimānavatthu Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 335).
32. Petavatthu (pp. 270).
33. Paṭisambhidāmagga Aṭṭhakathā Vol. I. (pp. 345).
34. Paṭisambhidāmagga Aṭṭhakathā Vol. II. (pp. 323).
35. Visuddhimagga Aṭṭhakathā Vol. I. (pp. 370).
36. Visuddhimagga Aṭṭhakathā Vol. II. (pp. 353).
37. Theragāthā Aṭṭhakathā Vol. I. (pp. 485).
38. Theragāthā Aṭṭhakathā Vol. II. (pp. 546).
39. Therīgāthā Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 305).
40. Apadāna Aṭṭhakathā Vol. I. (pp. 403).
41. Apadāna Aṭṭhakathā Vol. II. (pp. 303).
42. Jātaka Aṭṭhakathā Vol. I. (pp. 538).
43. Jātaka Aṭṭhakathā Vol. II. (pp. 408).
44. Jātaka Aṭṭhakathā Vol. III. (pp. 517).
45. Jātaka Aṭṭhakathā Vol. IV. (pp. 504).
46. Jātaka Aṭṭhakathā Vol. V. (pp. 553).
47. Jātaka Aṭṭhakathā Vol. VI. (pp. 332).
48. Jātaka Aṭṭhakathā Vol.VII. (pp. 387).
49. Cūḷa Niddesa and Netti Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 276).
50. Mahā Niddesa Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 419).
51. Buddhavaṃsa Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 354).
52. Cariyāpiṭaka Aṭṭhakathā (pp. 328).

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The Pāli Tipiṭaka Ṭīkās as approved by the Sixth Buddhist Council (Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana) are as follows; the size of each book is the same as that of the Pāli Canon Books:

Sub-Commentaries (26-Volumes).

1. Sīlakkhandhavagga Abhinava Ṭīkā, Vol. I. (pp. 500).
2. Sīlakkhandhavagga Abhinava Ṭīkā, Vol. II. (pp. 437).
3. Sīlakkhandhavagga Mūla Ṭīkā (pp. 405).
4. Mahāvagga Ṭīkā (pp. 358).
5. Pāthikavagga Ṭīkā (pp. 292).
6. Mūlapaṇṇāsa Ṭīkā, Vol. I. (pp. 394).
7. Mūlapaṇṇāsa Ṭīkā, Vol. II. (pp. 324).
8. Majjhima & Uparipaṇṇāsa Ṭīkā (pp. 442).
9. Saṃyutta Ṭīkā, Vol. I (pp. 345).
10. Saṃyutta Ṭīkā, Vol. II. (pp. 551).
11. Aṅguttara Ṭīkā, Vol. I (pp. 288).
12. Aṅguttara Ṭīkā, Vol. II. (pp. 396).
13. Aṅguttara Ṭīkā, Vol. III.(pp. 371).
14. Sāratthadīpanī Ṭīkā, Vol. I (pp. 460).
15. Sāratthadīpanī Ṭīkā, Vol. II. (pp. 448).
16. Sāratthadīpanī Ṭīkā, Vol. III. (pp. 496).
17. Vimativinodanī Ṭīkā, Vol. I. (pp. 362).
18. Vimativinodanī Ṭīkā, Vol. II. (pp. 322).
19. Vajirabuddhi Ṭīkā (pp. 585).
20. Dhammasaṅgaṇī Mūla Ṭīkā (pp. 220).
21. Vibhaṅga Mūla Ṭīkā (pp. 229).
22. Pañcappakaraṇa Mūla Ṭīkā and Anuṭīkā (pp. 323).
23. Visuddhimagga Mahā Ṭīkā, Vol. I. (pp. 46l).
24. Visuddhimagga Mahā Ṭīkā, Vol. II. (pp. 533).
25. Netti Ṭīkā and Netti Vibhāvinī Ṭīkā (pp. 356).
26. Kaṅkhāvitaraṇī Purāṇa and Abhinava Ṭīkā.

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Explanatory Notes:

¹ The third layer also included the Sub-Sub-Commentaries (Anuṭīkās), as evident in the following examples: (No. 1-2) Sīlakkhandhavagga Abhinava Ṭīkā (Vols. I & II), Kaṅkhāvitaraṇī Abhinava Ṭīkā (No. 26). The matter is evident in referring to them as Abhinava Ṭīkās in the list.

While the Mūla Ṭīkās (It is referred to as Mūla to distinguish it from the later texts) are the first generation of sub-commentaries. which they generally composed during the Anuradhapura period in Sri Lanka.

In contrast, later sub-commentaries, written in subsequent periods, are distinguished by being known as Anuṭīkās (subsequent/Sub-Sub-commentaries). These texts are placed alongside the earlier Mūla Ṭīkās in the list. I wanted to highlight this distinction to differentiate between the two generations.

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² Despite the Sixth Buddhist Council incorporating the previously non-canonical Milindapañha into the Mūla (Main Text) and the Visuddhimagga into the aṭṭhakathā (Commentaries), numerous other texts remain excluded from these three layers. These include: Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha, Jinatthapakāsinī Ṭīkā and Sārasaṅgaha, to name only a few.

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In this regard, Jansen Stovicek (formerly Ven. Ashin Saraṇa) saying the following:

The fact that these texts are not included in the three strata of Pāḷi scripture says nothing
about their veracity. Some of them are faithful selections of discourses from the acknowledged texts. Some of them paraphrase or give more detail on the Mūla or Aṭṭhakathā.
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Sources/Used resources:

Nibbana.com (It contains some errors, including spelling mistakes, as well as errors in the order, such as stating that the number of Aṭṭhakathā volumes is 51, while the numbering repeats 6 twice, making the actual number 52, but I have corrected everything here).

Image 1: Pāli MS 79, excerpt from Mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta, Sinhalese Palm leaf Manuscript.

Image 2: A palm-leaf manuscript featuring a bilingual Aṭṭhakathā, presenting the Pāli text alongside its Sinhalese translation. Originating from Sri Lanka in 1756, British Library.

Image 3: A palm-leaf manuscript (FPL), l.19th-e.20th c. CE, containing the Sāratthadīpanī ṭīkā inscribed in Burmese script, with red lacquer covers and gilded leaves.

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Abbreviation:

CST: Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana (Sixth Buddhist Council).

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