Paracanonical Texts (Theravada Buddhism) - History

History

The Suttasamgaha is believed to have been composed in Anurādhapura, Sri Lanka.

In Burma, presumably sometime after the closing of the Abhidhamma Pitaka (ca. 200 CE), the paracanonical texts were added to the Khuddaka Nikaya .

The Suttasamgaha was included in the 1888 Burmese Piṭakat samuiṅ but excluded from the 1956 Burmese Chaṭṭasaṅgāyana edition possibly due to the Suttasamgaha's inclusion of material from the post-canonical Pali commentaries. The Burmese Fifth Council inscriptions of the Canon include the same three works. The Burmese Phayre manuscript of the Canon, dated 1841/2, includes the Netti.

The Nettipakarana, Petakopadesa and Milindapañha appear in the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Burmese Tipitaka, while the Nettipakarana and the Petakopadesa appear in the Sinhalese printed edition.

The head of the Burmese sangha two centuries ago rearded at least the Netti and Petakopadesa as canonical. A modern Burmese teacher has described them as post-canonical.

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