Question

How many Nikāyas are accepted based on Pāli Literature ?

• A. 12
• B. 18
• C. 22
• D. 5

Hint:

Use the acronym D-M-S-A-K to remember the 5 Nikāyas: Digha, Majjhima, Samyutta, Anguttara, Khuddaka.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Concept: The Sutta Pitaka, which is the second basket of the Tipitaka (Pali Canon), contains the principal discourses of the Buddha. To manage this vast body of oral tradition, the early Sangha organized the suttas into "Nikāyas" (Collections). This classification is based primarily on the length of the discourses or their subject matter.

Step 1: Listing the five Nikāyas. In Pali Literature, there are exactly 5 Nikāyas that make up the Sutta Pitaka. They are:
• Digha Nikāya: The "Long" Discourses (34 suttas).
• Majjhima Nikāya: The "Middle-length" Discourses (152 suttas).
• Samyutta Nikāya: The "Connected" Discourses (grouped by theme).
• Anguttara Nikāya: The "Numerical" Discourses (grouped by numbers, e.g., the Fours, the Fives).
• Khuddaka Nikāya: The "Minor" or "Miscellaneous" Collection (includes the Dhammapada, Jataka, etc.).

Step 2: Clarifying common confusion with other numbers. The number 18 is often confused with this because there were 18 early schools of Buddhism (Nikāya Buddhism). However, the number of *collections of texts* in the Sutta Pitaka is strictly 5.