Nikaya

Nikaya is a term used in Buddhist literature to denote a collection or group of scriptures. In many contexts it refers to the major divisions within a canon of discourses, particularly in Theravada Buddhism where the Sutta Pitaka is organized into five Nikayas.

The five Nikayas of the Theravada Sutta Pitaka are: Digha Nikaya, which contains long discourses; Majjhima Nikaya, consisting of middle-length discourses; Samyutta Nikaya, a collection of connected or thematically linked discourses; Anguttara Nikaya, which presents discourses arranged by numerical categories; and Khuddaka Nikaya, a diverse “minor collection” that includes a range of shorter texts and poems. The Khuddaka Nikaya also contains several well-known works such as the Dhammapada, Udana, Itivuttaka, and Sutta Nipata, along with other shorter suttas and sometimes Jataka tales, depending on the edition.

Historically, the Nikaya framework is central to Theravada textual tradition and is used to organize and study the discourses attributed to the Buddha. The concept of a nikāya as a collection or grouping of texts also appears in other Buddhist languages and traditions, though the exact divisions and names can vary between canons. Today, the Nikaya divisions remain a foundational reference for understanding the structure and content of early Buddhist suttas and for tracing how the Buddha’s teachings were transmitted and organized within the Theravada tradition.