5. Khuddaka Nikaya

Of all the Nikayas, this last collection ( Smaller Collection ) contains the largest number
of treaties and the most numerous categories of dhamma.


These "small" collections containing not only the discourses by the Buddha 
but compilations of brief doctrinal notes mostly in verse, accounts of personal struggles
 and achievements by the theras and theris ( Male & female senior disciples of the Buddha ), 
the birth stories and history of the Buddha etc.

1. Khuddakapatha Pali ( Shorter Text )

    It contains "readings of the passages" most of which are also found in other parts of the Tipitaka.
    e.g. the collection of nine short formulae and suttas used as a manual for novices under training ;
            3 refuges, 10 precepts, 32 parts of the body, etc

2. Dhammapada Pali ( The Way of Truth )

    A collection of the Buddha's words or basic and essential principles of the Buddha's teaching. 
    It consist of 423 verses arranged according to topic in Twenty-Six Chapters.

3. Udana Pali ( Paen of Joy - Inspired Utterance of the Buddha )

    This treatise is a collection of 80 joyful utterances made by the Buddha on unique occasions of sheer bliss.

4. Itivuttaka Pali ( 'Thus said' discourse )

    This treatise contains 112 suttas divided into four nipatas with verses and prose mixed, 
    one supplementing the other.

        "Bhikkhus, abandon craving; I guarantee attainment to the stage of an Anagami
         ( 2nd sainthood ) if you abandon craving."
        ~ Ekaka Nipata ~

5. Suttanipata Pali ( Collected Discourse )

It is divided into five vaggas;
(a) Uraga Vagga ( The snake Chapter ) - 12 suttas
(b) Cula Vagga ( The Lesser Chapter ) - 14 suttas
(c) Maha Vagga ( The Great Chapter ) - 12 suttas
(d) Atthaka Vagga ( The Chapter of the Eight ) - 16 suttas
(e) Parayana Vagga ( The Chapter on the Way to the Far Shore ) - 16 suttas.

6. Vimana Vatthu Pali ( Stories of Cellestial Mansion )

    There are 85 verses group in seven vaggas, where the celestial beings give an account of 
    what acts of merit they have done in previous existences as human being and
     how they are reborn in Deva realm.

7. Peta Vatthu Pali ( Stories of Peta )

    "The stories of Petas " are graphic accounts of the miserable state of beings
     who have been reborn in unhappy existence as a consequence of their evil deeds. 

    There are 51 stories divided into four vaggas.

8. The Thera Gatha Pali ( Psalms of the Brethren )
    &
9. The Theri Gatha Pali ( Psalms of the Sister )

    These two treatises form a compilation of delightful verses uttered by some 264 theras and
    73 theris through sheer exultation and joy that arise out of their religious devotion and inspiration. 

    These inspiring verses gush forth from the hearts of bhikkhus and bhikkunis
    after their attainment of Arahantship ( enlightenment ) as an announcement of their achievement
    and also as statement of their effort which has led to their final enlightenment.

10. Jataka Pali ( Birth stories of the Boddhisatta )

    These are the stories of the previous existence of Gotama Buddha, 
    while He as a bodhisatta ( Buddha-to-be ) was perfecting himself to attain Buddhahood. 

    There are a total of 547 Jataka stories and divided into nipatas.

11. Niddesa Pali ( Expositions )

    Divided into two parts, these exegetical works contain much material on the Abhidhamma
    and constitute the earliest forms of commentaries.

12. Patisambhida Magga Pali ( Book of the Analytical Knowledge )

    Entitled ' the Path of Analysis' it deals with the salient teachings of the Buddha analytically
    in the style of the Abhidhamma. 

    Consisting 3 main vaggas, each consist of ten sub-groups, named kathas. 
   The treatment of each subject matter is very detailed and provide theoretical foundation
    for the practice of the Path.

13. Apadana Pali ( Lives of Arahants )

    It is a biographical work containing the life stories ( past and present ) of the Buddha and
    his Arahat ( the Awaken ) disciples. 

    It is divided into 2 divisions: the Therapadana giving the life stories of the Buddha, 
    of 41 Paccekabuddhas ( silent Buddha ) and of 59 Arahats; 
    Theripadana with the life stories of 40 theris Arahats.

14. Buddhavamsa Pali ( history of the Buddhas )

    It gives a short historical account of Gotama Buddha and of the 24 previous Buddhas
    who had prophesied his attainment of Buddhahood. It consists of 29 sections in verse.

    The first section gives account on how the Buddha resolved to work for attainment of the Buddhahood. 
    The 28th section also include the prophesy for the coming Buddha named Metteyya. 
    Finally the last section gives an account of how the Buddha's relics are distributed and
    where they are preserved.

15. Cariya Pitaka

    This treatise contains 35 stories of the Buddha's previous lives retold. 
    Whereas the Jataka covered the stories from the day He made His Bodhisatta Vow
    till He attained Buddhahood, Cariya Pitaka deals only with 35 of the existence
    of the Bodhisatta in this last world cycle.

16. Netti & (17) Petakopadesa

    The two small works, Netti (seven chapters) and Petakopadesa (eight chapters)
    are different from the others because they are exegetical and methodological in nature.

18. Milindapanha Pali

    It records the questions asked by King Milinda ( a learned and highly skilled in the art of debating )
    and the answers given by Ven. Nagasena ( a fully accomplished Arahat ) some 500 years after
    the Maha Parinibbana of the Buddha. 

    The questions posed were abstruse concerning the nature of man, 
    his survival after death and other doctrinal aspects of the dhamma.

--==--