Read the statements carefully regarding Buddhist literature.

(A) Buddha gave teachings through writings only.
(B) None of Buddha's speeches were written during his life-time.
(C) Buddha's teachings were complied by his disciples after his death.
(D) Some of the oldest Buddhist texts are in Pali, while later compositions are in Sanskrit.
(E) 'Mahavamsa' is known as the 'Great Chronicle.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(B), (C), (D), (E) Only

The correct answer is Option (1) → (B), (C), (D), (E) Only

(A) Buddha gave teachings through writings only. (INCORRECT)
(B) None of Buddha's speeches were written during his life-time. (CORRECT)
(C) Buddha's teachings were complied by his disciples after his death. (CORRECT)
(D) Some of the oldest Buddhist texts are in Pali, while later compositions are in Sanskrit.(CORRECT)
(E) 'Mahavamsa' is known as the 'Great Chronicle. (CORRECT)

The Buddha (and other teachers) taught orally-through discussions and debates. Men and women (perhaps children as well) attended these discourses and discussed what they heard. None of the Buddha's speeches were written down during his lifetime. After his death (c. fifth-fourth century BCE) his teachings were compiled by his disciples at a council of "elders" or senior monks at Vesali (Pali for Vaishali in present-day Bihar). These compilations were known as Tipitaka - literally, three baskets to hold different types of texts. They were first transmitted orally and then written and classified according to length as well as subject matter.

The Vinaya Pitaka included rules and regulations for those who joined the sangha or monastic order; the Buddha's teachings were included in the Sutta Pitaka; and the Abhidhamma Pitaka dealt with philosophical matters. Each pitaka comprised a number of individual texts. Later, commentaries were written on these texts by Buddhist scholars.

As Buddhism travelled to new regions such as Sri Lanka, other texts such as the Dipavamsa (literally, the chronicle of the island) and Mahavamsa (the great chronicle) were written, containing regional histories of Buddhism. Many of these works contained biographies of the Buddha. Some of the oldest texts are in Pali, while later compositions are in Sanskrit.