What are the sacred texts of Buddhism?

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Buddhism Seated Buddha, bronze statue, 15th century, Thailand.

The primary sacred texts in Buddhism are found within the Pali canon, also known as the Tipitaka or "Three Baskets". This collection is central to the Theravada tradition and is considered the oldest complete canon in Buddhism.12

The Tipitaka is divided into three main sections:
* Vinaya Pitaka: Contains rules for monastic discipline.12
* Sutta Pitaka: Comprises discourses and teachings attributed to the Buddha and his disciples.123
* Abhidhamma Pitaka: Offers systematic and scholastic analyses of Buddhist doctrine.12

Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions also revere these texts but accept additional scriptures, often in Sanskrit, Chinese, or Tibetan, such as the Bstan-'gyur and Bka'-'gyur.45