Khuddaka-patha

The Khuddaka-patha is a collection of short passages and is the first text within the Khuddaka Nikaya, the fifth and final section of the Buddhist Sutta Pitaka. While the Khuddaka Nikaya as a whole is considered a later compilation, it includes some very early Buddhist works and is notable for containing most of the important poetic texts in the Pali canon.

The Khuddaka-patha itself contains nine items, including ten precepts for novices, a hymn praising the Buddha, and verses for offerings to departed spirits. The Khuddaka Nikaya is diverse, with its exact contents varying historically and geographically, but the commonly accepted list, particularly in Sri Lanka, includes the Khuddaka-patha alongside other significant texts like the Dhammapada and Jataka tales.1