Khuddaka-nikāya

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Khuddaka-nikāya (Pāli, ‘short collection’). The fifth part of the Sutta-, or Sūtra-piṭaka, in the Buddhist Pāli canon, containing fifteen ‘short’ sections: (i) Khuddaka-pātha, rules for ceremonies, etc.; (ii) Dhammapada, 426 verses on basic teaching; (iii) Udāna, 80 sayings of the Buddha; (iv) Itivuttaka, on moral questions; (v) Sutta-nipāta; (vi) Vimānavatthu, 83 legends of devas to show how to attain reappearance as a deva; (vii) Petavatthu, on reappearance as a hungry ghost; (viii) Thera-gāthā, 107 songs (gāthā) ascribed to the monks of old; (ix) Therīgāthā, 73 ascribed to nuns of old; (x) Jātaka; (xi) Niddesa, commentary on (v); (xii) Patisambhidāmagga, analysis of philosophical issues; (xiii) Apadāna, stories of renowned monks and nuns in previous appearances; (xiv) Buddhavamsa, stories of previous Buddhas; (xv) Cariya-piṭaka, jātaka stories showing how the Buddha reached the ten perfections (pāramitā).

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