Nikaya

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Thai Pali Canon

Nikaya is a word from the Pali language which is used to denote Buddhist texts . In the Buddhist Pali canon , especially in the Suttapitaka , Nikaya means “book” or “volume”, although the Suttapitaka in particular are so extensive that they can hardly be published in one volume.

Other meanings

In the Theravada schools of Southeast Asia , Nikaya can refer to a section of the monastic community, but is also a polite name for a Buddhist religious community (see Thammayut Nikaya ).

The equivalent used in China is agama : the suttapitaka of the Pali canon are sometimes called " The Agamas " by Mahayana Buddhists , while " The Nikayas " are called by Theravada Buddhists.