Holy Books Of Buddhism
Baldomero Prado
The mystical pillars of all world faiths are surprisingly within reach in the form of a bundle of texts and ancient records that have been delicately protected for thousands of years. Between major world religions like Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Taoism, monks from long-forgotten ages worked diligently to ensure the versions we carry today. Their hope was to maintain these texts to accurately represent the histories and faiths of cultures and civilizations that now exist only in their modern-day descendants.
However, many religions suffer from an occasional fracturing over core values, and with that, new sacred texts blossom in an attempt to guide the spiritual flock of that era. Furthermore, what we read today, in modern tongues, can never accurately represent the forgotten cultural references and idioms that some of these texts relied on for a specific audience. Some degree of critical analysis is necessary to approach these religious epics where some stories could have been either allegories or even stageplays that are now, possibly mistakenly, taken literally. Due to the thousands of years of historical and religious knowledge needed to decipher each of these texts, an appropriate way to begin is to ask who, what, when, where, and why? That caution is vital when considering that different faiths might revere a single religious book. Therefore, read closely to uncover the secrets and dramatic events that ultimately defined each of these sets Sacred Texts.
Primarily, the sacred texts of Christianity are the Old and New Testaments found within the Bible. The Bible is divided into the Old Testament, also known as the Torah to the Jews, which is sacred to both Jews and Christians, and the New Testament, which is specifically Christian. Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic Christians all share these texts but may have some differences in their canon. The New Testament is specifically centered around the teachings of Jesus Christ, whom Christians regard as God on Earth.
The Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible, contains 39 books. In the Protestant Bible, 46 books in the Catholic Bible, and up to 49 books in the Orthodox Bible. It was written approximately between 1400 BCE and 165 BCE by multiple authors. The New Testament contains 27 books, which are the same across all Christian denominations. These books were written by various authors between 50 and 100 CE. The original language of the Old Testament is primarily Hebrew, with some portions in Aramaic, while the New Testament was written in (Koine) Greek.
Translations of the Bible have changed the original texts over time, though efforts have been made to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the translations. Language differences, cultural context, and the need for interpretation have led to variations among translations. It is also important to note that the original texts themselves have undergone changes over time due to scribal errors, editing, and additions.
Catholics have a set of books known as the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books, which are included in the Catholic Old Testament but are not accepted by most Protestants. While some Protestant denominations may refer to or study these texts for historical or cultural context, they generally do not consider them canonical or divinely inspired. Orthodox Christians also have additional texts that are not recognized by Catholics or Protestants.
The authors of the biblical texts include various prophets, apostles, and other figures throughout ancient Israel's history and the early Christian church. The study of early church tradition is especially important in Eastern Orthodoxy. The exact authorship of many books is debated or unknown, and some books may have multiple authors or have been edited over time.
The texts within the Bible discuss various topics, such as the history of the Israelites, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, ethical and moral teachings, and prophetic messages. The Old Testament primarily focuses on the covenant between God and the Israelites, while the New Testament emphasizes the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Christian church.
The sacred texts and written collections of Islam include the Quran, the Hadith, and the Tafsir. The Quran is the primary religious text of Islam, believed to be the literal word of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabriel. The Hadith are collections of reports documenting the sayings, actions, and opinions of the Prophet Muhammad. Tafsir is the exegesis or interpretation of the Quran. There are some differences in the compilations of the Hadith and interpretation of the texts between Sunni and Shia Islam.
The Quran discusses a wide range of topics, including theology, morality, law, guidance for personal conduct, and the relationship between God and humanity. It is divided into 114 chapters called Surahs, which vary in length and cover diverse subjects. The Hadith collections contain reports on various aspects of the Prophet Muhammad's life, providing context and elaboration on the teachings of the Quran.
The Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years (610-632 CE). The original language of the Quran is classical Arabic. The Hadith was compiled by various scholars in the first few centuries after the Prophet's death. There have been many translations of the Quran and Hadith into different languages over time, and while the translations may have varied, the original Arabic text is considered immutable.
While the Quran is believed to have been verbally revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel, the Hadith is slightly different. The Hadith was written by various scholars who collected reports from people who had direct or indirect contact with the Prophet. The most widely accepted Hadith collections in Sunni Islam are Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, while in Shia Islam, the main collections are Al-Kafi, Man La Yahduruhu Al-Faqih, Tahdhib Al-Ahkam, and Al-Istibsar.
Sunni and Shia Muslims do refer to some of each other's sacred texts, although the degree of acceptance and interpretation of the texts can differ significantly. While both Sunni and Shia Muslims accept the Quran as the central sacred text, they differ in their acceptance of certain Hadith collections. Sunni Muslims generally do not give the same weight to Shia Hadith collections and vice versa. However, some common ground can be found in the study and interpretation of shared texts.
Hinduism has a vast collection of sacred texts and written collections, including the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, and more. The Vedas are the oldest and most important texts, composed between 1500 and 500 BCE. They consist of four parts: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda. These texts contain hymns, mantras, rituals, and philosophical discussions. The Upanishads discuss the essence of reality, self, and the universe. Scribes compiled them between 800 and 500 BCE.
The Puranas, composed between 500 CE and 1000 CE, are a genre of religious texts that narrate the universe's history, legends, and myths. The Bhagavad Gita, a part of the Indian epic Mahabharata, is another important Hindu scripture that presents a conversation between Prince Arjuna and the god Krishna on various topics such as duty, action, and devotion.
The authors of these texts are largely unknown, though some are likely sages such as Vyasa and Valmiki. They wrote in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. Over time, scribes translated the texts into various languages, which could have led to differences in interpretation. However, the core teachings have largely remained consistent.
The major sects of Hinduism, such as Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism, acknowledge each other's sacred texts. They have different emphases and interpretations of the texts but generally accept their authority. Vaishnavism focuses on the worship of Vishnu, Shaivism on Shiva, Shaktism on the Divine Mother, and Smartism on the worship of multiple deities. Despite their differences, these sects share a common foundation in the Vedas and other sacred texts.
Buddhism has various sacred texts, the most important of which are the Tripitaka and the Mahayana Sutras. The Tripitaka is the primary holy text for Theravada Buddhists, while Mahayana Buddhists revere the Mahayana Sutras.
The Tripitaka, or "Three Baskets," is a collection of three sections: the Vinaya Pitaka (monastic rules), the Sutta Pitaka (teachings and discourses), and the Abhidhamma Pitaka (philosophical and psychological analysis). The Mahayana Sutras encompass a vast range of texts, including the Prajnaparamita Sutras (Perfection of Wisdom), the Lotus Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Pure Land Sutras, and the Vimalakirti Sutra, among others. There are also other texts in the Vajrayana tradition, such as the Tibetan Book of the Dead, which Vajrayana Buddhists revere.
Major Buddhist sects, such as Theravada and Mahayana, generally respect and study each other's sacred texts to some extent, recognizing their shared roots and the value of diverse perspectives. However, they may prioritize their own core texts and interpret them differently according to their respective traditions and beliefs.
The sacred texts of Buddhism discuss a wide range of topics, including the teachings of the Buddha, ethical conduct, meditation, the nature of reality, the path to enlightenment, and the nature of suffering and its cessation. They also guide monastic life and the community of practitioners.
The texts' age varies, but scribes wrote down most of the Tripitaka between the 1st century BCE and the 1st century CE. However, the oral tradition potentially dates back to the time of the historical Buddha in the 5th century BCE. Likewise, the Mahayana Sutras were composed between the 1st century BCE and the 5th century CE. The original language of the Tripitaka is Pali, an ancient Indian language closely related to Sanskrit. The Mahayana Sutras were written in various languages, including Sanskrit and Gandhari.
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