Page 66 - Islam and Buddhism

Islam and Buddhism

Today, Buddhism's holy book, written in the Pali language, is

called the Tipitaka, which means "triple basket." It is not known for
sure when the Tipitaka was written down, but it is thought to have at-
tained its present shape in Sri Lanka sometime in the first century

B.C. Its texts are divided into the following chapters:
1. Vinaya Pitaka: This chapter, meaning "Basket of Discipline,"
contains rules relevant to priests and nuns and how they should be
followed. There are also some matters of relevance to those lay read-
ers who are not priests or nuns.

2. Sutta Pitaka: Most of this volume is composed of talks in which
Buddha explained his ideas. For this reason, this chapter is called the
"Basket of Discourse." These words of his were passed down through

the centuries, becoming mixed with other legends and false beliefs.

In Tibet, the dissemination of Buddhist texts is one of the most important acts of wor-
ship. In particular, priests who have removed themselves from the world completely
give themselves solely to this work. With no idea of the true nature of the afterlife,
these people live out their worldly lives in vain pursuits.
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