Discourses
The main body of the Buddha’s discourses, ranging from lengthy and detailed presentations of doctrine to brief summaries of particular points (Toh 8-359).
| Texts: 397 | Published: 171 | In Progress: 155 | Not Begun: 71 |
Sub-sections
Perfection of Wisdom
The collection of discourses on the Perfection of Wisdom (Toh 8-30).
Ornaments of the Buddhas
Presented as a single, long sūtra, although many of its 45 chapters are independent works (Toh 44).
Heap of Jewels
Forty-nine selected sūtras on a range of themes, compiled as a separate collection also found in the Chinese Tripiṭaka (Toh 45-93).
General Sūtra Section
The principal collection of 266 sūtras, varied in length, subject, interlocutors and origins (Toh 94-359).
Thirteen late-translated sūtras
A group of Theravāda sūtras translated into Tibetan in the 14th century (Toh 31-43).
Discourses
In this broad category of canonical works we have grouped four of the traditional divisions of the Kangyur (Prajñāpāramitā, Buddhāvataṃsaka, Ratnakūta, and the General Sūtra collection or mdo sde), together with a small set of “late-translated” sūtras.
The Perfection of Wisdom section (Toh 8-30) contains the sūtras specific to the prajñāpāramitā literature, ranging from extremely long to extremely short.
Both the Ornament of the Buddhas or Buddhāvataṃsaka (Toh 44) and Heap of Jewels or Ratnakūta (Toh 45-93) are historically established collections or compilations of particular sūtra works.
The General Sūtra section (Toh 94-359) contains all the other sūtras that were translated into Tibetan, mainly from Sanskrit but a few from other Indic languages and Chinese.
The Thirteen late-translated sūtras (Toh 31-43) are 14th century Tibetan translations of Theravāda sūtras from the Pāli Canon, located in many Kangyurs at the end of the Perfection of Wisdom section but with no relation to it. To maintain the order of texts in the Degé Kangyur (and the Tōhoku catalogue) this should be the second group of texts within the Discourses section, but on this page we have placed it last to ensure that users will not fail to see the important General Sūtra section on some displays.
Introductions to each collection can be displayed using the “Learn more about...” button within each section.