Which of the following “Pitaka” includes Buddha’s teachings?

The correct answer is Option (2) → Sutta Pitaka

After the Buddha’s death his teachings were compiled by his disciples into the Tipitaka, literally ‘three baskets’, each holding a different type of text.

Option (1) Vinaya Pitaka — Incorrect. It held the rules and regulations for those who joined the sangha, the monastic order.

Option (2) Sutta Pitaka — Correct. The Buddha’s teachings were included in the Sutta Pitaka. Historians reconstruct his teachings mainly from the stories found in it.

Option (3) Abhidhamma Pitaka — Incorrect. It dealt with philosophical matters.

Option (4) Dipavamsa — Incorrect. The Dipavamsa (‘the chronicle of the island’) is not a pitaka. It was written later in Sri Lanka, when Buddhism spread there, as a regional history of Buddhism.

Note: A same/similar question was asked in CUET (UG) in the papers below.

* A similar question.