Pali literature

The earliest and most important Pali literature constitutes the Pali Tipitaka, the main scripture collection of the Theravada school. These are of Indian origin, and were written down during the reign of Vattagamani Abhaya (29—17 B.C.) in Sri Lanka.[13]

The Tipitaka ("Triple Basket"), also known as Pali Canon, is divided into three "baskets" (Pali: piṭaka):[14]

1. Vinaya Piṭaka (Basket of the Monastic Discipline)
   1. Suttavibhaṅga: Pāṭimokkha (a list of rules for monastics) and commentary
   2. Khandhaka: 22 chapters on various topics
   3. Parivāra: analyses of rules from various points of view
2. Sutta Piṭaka (Basket of Sayings/Discourses), mostly ascribed to the Buddha, but some to his disciples.
   1. Digha Nikāya, the "long" discourses.
   2. Majjhima Nikāya, the "middle-length" discourses.
   3. Saṁyutta Nikāya, the "connected" discourses.
   4. Anguttara Nikāya, the "numerical" discourses.
   5. Khuddaka Nikāya, the "minor collection".
3. Abhidhamma Piṭaka (Basket of Abhidhamma, i.e. Philosophical Psychology). According to K.R. Norman, "It is clear that the Abhidhamma is later than the rest of the canon."[15]
   1. Dhammasaṅganī
   2. Vibhaṅga
   3. Dhātukathā
   4. Puggalapaññatti
   5. Kathāvatthu
   6. Yamaka
   7. Paṭṭhāna

A collection of Pali Commentaries (Atthakatha) were written in Sri Lanka by various (some anonymous) authors, such as Buddhagosa, Dhammapala, Mahanama, Upasena, and Buddhadatta. Buddhagosa writes that he based his commentaries on older works which were brought to Sri Lanka when Buddhism first arrived there, and were translated into Sinhalese. K.R. Norman has written that there is evidence that some parts of the commentaries are very old.[17]

Sub-commentarial works called Tikas are secondary commentaries, that is to say, commentaries on the Atthakathas. Dhammapala is one early author of tikas. He is particularly known for his Paramatthamañjusa, a sub-commentary on the Visuddhimagga.[18]

1. Visuddhimagga - Buddhaghosa, A very influential compendium of Buddhist doctrine and practice by Buddhagosa (5th century).
2. Abhidhammavatara - Buddhadatta, The earliest effort at an introductory manual which summarizes the doctrines in the Abhidhamma (5th century)
3. Ruparupa-vibhaga - Buddhadatta - A short manual on Abhidhamma (5th century)
4. Saccasankhepa - Culla-Dhammapala, "Elements of Truth", A "short treatise on Abhidhamma" (7th century)
5. Abhidhammattha-sangaha - Acariya Anuruddha, A summary of the Abhidhamma, widely used as an introductory Abhidhamma text, c. 11th to 12th century.
6. Namarupa-pariccheda - Acariya Anuruddha, A verse introduction to the Abhidhamma
7. Paramattha-vinicchaya - attributed to Acariya Anuruddha, K.R. Norman thinks this might be a different Anuruddha.[19]
8. Khemappakarana - By the nun Khema, A "short manual on the Abhidhamma"
9. Mohavicchedani - Mahakassapa of Chola, A guide to the matikas (topics) of the seven books of the Abhidhamma (12th century)
10. Nāmacāradīpikā - Chappata, (15th century)
11. Vinayavinicchaya - Buddhadatta, A verse summary of the first four books of the Vinaya (5th century)
12. Uttaravinicchaya - Buddhadatta, A verse summary of the Parivara, the final book of the Vinaya (5th century)
13. Khuddasikkha and Mulasikkha - Short summaries on monastic discipline.
14. Upasaka-janalankara - Sihala Acariya Ananda Mahathera, a manual on the Buddha's teachings for lay disciples (Upasakas) (13th century)
15. Simalankara, a work dealing with monastic boundaries (sima)
16. Bhesajjamanjusa - a Medical text from Sri Lanka (13th century)
17. Yogāvacara's manual - Sri Lankan meditation manual (c. 16th-17th century) of Esoteric Theravada (Borān-kammaṭṭhāna).
18. Amatākaravaṇṇanā (c. 18th century) - According to Kate Crosby, this is one of the most extensive manuals of Esoteric Theravada meditation and was compiled by Kandyan Sinhalese students of Thai esoteric meditation masters.[20]

The following include various Buddhist historical chronicles (vamsa):[21]

1. Dipavamsa - "The Island Chronicle" (4th century)
2. Mahavamsa - "The Great Chronicle" (6th century) by Mahanama
3. A Cambodian Mahavamsa, almost twice the length of the original, and including numerous additions.[22]
4. Culavamsa - "The Lesser Chronicle"
5. Vamsatthappakasini, a commentary of the Mahavamsa (6th century)
6. Thupavamsa by Vacissara, a chronicle of the Great Stupa in Anuradhapura (12th century)
7. Dathavamsa by Dhammakitti, a chronicle of Buddhist history, focusing on relics, such as the tooth relic
8. Samantakutavannana - Vedehathera, A poem in 796 stanzas on the Buddha's life and his visits to Sri Lanka.
9. Hatthavanagalla-viharavamsa - Life story of the Sinhala Buddhist king Sirisanghabodhi (r. 247-249) (13th century)
10. Lokapaññatti, a work on Buddhist cosmology, mostly borrowed from the Sanskrit Lokaprajñapti.[23]
11. Saddhamma-sangaha - Dhammakitti Mahasami, Literary and ecclesiastical history of Buddhism (14th century)
12. Cha-kesadhatuvamsa - A history of the six stupas that enshrine the hair relics of the Buddha. (14th century)
13. Saddhammasangaha, which contains details about Buddhist texts and their authors.[24]
14. Sandesakatha - 19th century

Most Sinhalese Pali poetry is in kavya style, with much Sanskritic influence.[25]

• Mahabodhivamsa by Upatissa, a historical poem focusing on the bodhi tree (10th century)
• Telakaṭāhagāthā - "The Oil-Cauldron Verses.", Collection of Sri Lankan poems from a monk thrown into boiling oil
• Jinalankara - Buddharakkhita, 278 verse poem on the life of the Buddha (12th century)
• Anagata-vamsa - Mahakassapa of Cola, Story of Maitreya, the next Buddha (12th century)
• Dasabodhisattuppattikatha - Birth Stories of the Ten Bodhisattas
• Dasabodhisattuddesa - Another collection of birth stories
• Jinacarita - Medhankara, 472 verse poem on the life of the Buddha (13th century)
• Pajjamadhu - Buddhapiya Dipankara (13th century), poem on the beauty of the Buddha
• Samantakutavannana by Vedeha (13th century), a life story of the Bodhisatta Siddhattha
• Pañcagatidipana - A poem that describes the five forms of rebirth
• Saddhammopayana - 629 short verses in praise of the Dhamma
• Jinavamsadipani - Moratuve Medhananda Thera, An epic poem on the life of the Buddha & his teachings in 2000 verses (1917)
• Mahakassapacarita - Widurapola Piyatissa, 1500 verse poem on the life of Mahakasyapa (1934)

A genre which consists of stories in mixed prose and verse, often focusing on the advantages of giving (dana).[26]

• Dasavatthuppakarana
• Sihalavatthuppakarana
• Sahassavatthuppakarana
• Rasavahini

Works on Pali language, mostly grammar.[27]

• Kaccāyana-vyākarana, Date is unknown but after Buddhaghosa. It's the earliest and most influential grammar of Pali.
• Nyasa, or Mukhamattadipani by Vimalabuddhi (11th century), a commentary on Kaccayana's Grammar.
• Suttaniddesa or Nyasapradipa by Chapata or Saddhammajoti-pala
• Kaccayana-sara, ab abridgement of Kaccayana's Grammar written by Dhammananda
• Rupasiddhi, a re-arrangement of Kaccāyana-vyākarana
• Balavatara, a re-arrangement of Kaccāyana-vyākarana
• Moggallayana-vyakarana a.k.a. Saddalakkhana, and the auto-commentary Moggallayanapañcika is a new Pali grammar by Moggallana who created a new school of grammar c. 12th century.
• Abhidhanappadipika, a Pali dictionary

Works on poetics and prosody.[28]

• Subodhalankara of Sangharakkhita (12th century), a work on poetics
• Vuttodaya, a work on Pali meter by Sangharakkhita
• Sambandhacinta by Sangharakkhita, a work on verbs and syntax

These are jataka collections that are outside of the Pali Canon:[29]

• Paññasa-jataka
• Sudhanukumara jataka
• Kosala-bimba-vannana, a story told in Jataka style about Buddha statues

Anthologies of various texts on different topics:[30][31]

• Mahaparitta - A small collection of texts taken from the Suttapitaka
• Suttasamgaha - A selection of texts from the Tripitaka
• Sarasangaha[31] - Siddhattha, A "manual of Dhamma" in prose and verse (13th century)
• Upasakajanalankara[31]