nikayas

Nikayas, in Buddhist literature, refer to major collections or groups of teachings within the Sutta Pitaka of the early Buddhist canon. The term originates from Pali and Sanskrit roots meaning a "collection" or "assembly." In the Theravada tradition, the Sutta Pitaka is divided into five Nikayas, forming the core of its discourses. The phrase is sometimes used more broadly to denote similar collections in other Buddhist schools, though the organizational scheme varies by tradition.

The five Nikayas are the Digha Nikaya (long discourses), Majjhima Nikaya (middle-length discourses), Samyutta Nikaya (connected or linked discourses), Anguttara Nikaya (numerical discourses), and Khuddaka Nikaya (the minor or supplementary collection). The Khuddaka Nikaya is the most diverse, containing a variety of works such as the Dhammapada, Udana, Itivuttaka, Sutta Nipata, and the Jataka tales, among others. Together, these collections preserve a wide range of teachings, from concise suttas to more expansive discourses, on ethics, meditative practice, philosophy, and the path to liberation.

Significance and transmission: The Nikayas are considered among the oldest Buddhist texts and are central to Theravada scriptural study. They were transmitted orally for centuries and later compiled into standardized written canons in regions such as Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. They continue to be studied for understanding the early Buddhist view of the path, the Buddha’s teachings, and the practicum of meditation and conduct.