Canon Map and Coverage¶
What “Theravāda discourses” can mean¶
In the narrow sense, discourses are the Sutta Piṭaka. The Theravāda Tipiṭaka also contains the Vinaya Piṭaka and Abhidhamma Piṭaka. This edition starts with the Sutta Piṭaka because the library was requested as a guide to discourses.
Sutta Piṭaka map¶
| Collection | Character | Current treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Dīgha Nikāya | 34 long discourses | Selected foundational references |
| Majjhima Nikāya | 152 middle-length discourses | Strongest current representation |
| Saṃyutta Nikāya | thematically connected discourses | Selected doctrinal clusters |
| Aṅguttara Nikāya | numerical collection | Selected ethical and doctrinal references |
| Khuddaka Nikāya | a diverse group of shorter books | Initial selections only |
Collection pages:
Present coverage¶
Version 1 contains:
- 17 thematic guides;
- 32 indexed primary discourses;
- a Pāli glossary;
- a staged reading path;
- explicit source and translation policies;
- local full-text search.
This is foundational coverage, not complete-discourse coverage.
Expansion sequence¶
Phase 2 — Complete main-Nikāya reading map¶
Create one catalog row for every discourse in DN and MN, including:
- reference and title;
- principal interlocutors;
- setting;
- main doctrinal themes;
- practices taught;
- cross-references;
- translation links;
- review status.
Phase 3 — Connected collections¶
Index SN by thematic saṃyutta before indexing individual short discourses. Give priority to:
- causation (
SN 12); - aggregates (
SN 22); - sense bases (
SN 35); - path (
SN 45); - awakening factors (
SN 46); - breathing (
SN 54); - truths (
SN 56).
Phase 4 — Numerical collection¶
Index AN by book of ones through elevens. Tag repeated passages and avoid mistaking repeated formulas for unrelated doctrines.
Phase 5 — Khuddaka books¶
Treat each book according to genre. Verse anthologies, birth stories, analytical works, and biographical material should not be flattened into one method.
Suggested early order:
- Dhammapada
- Udāna
- Itivuttaka
- Sutta Nipāta
- Theragāthā and Therīgāthā
Phase 6 — Theravāda context layers¶
Add separate, clearly labeled guides to:
- Vinaya;
- Abhidhamma;
- early commentaries;
- Visuddhimagga;
- major modern Theravāda meditation traditions.
Review states for future entries¶
| State | Meaning |
|---|---|
| cataloged | metadata and link recorded |
| summarized | neutral synopsis written |
| source-checked | synopsis checked against Pāli or multiple translations |
| cross-linked | doctrinal and parallel references added |
| reviewed | interpretive cautions and disputes documented |
No future entry should be marked “reviewed” merely because an automated summary was generated.