Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c29.s1.1

v2.c29.s1.1

The Pali literature is replete with terms like (i) Suttantikas or masters of Suttanta (or the Sutta-piṭaka); (ii) Vinayadharas or repositories of the rules of discipline (Vinaya-piṭaka); (iii) Mātikādharas or those versed in mātikā (=abhidhamma); (iv) Dhammakathikas or the preachers of the Buddhist doctrine.¹ In the Aṭṭhakathās again, appear further terms like Dīgha-bhāṇaka and Majjhima-bhāṇaka (reciters of the Dīgha and Majjhima Nikāyas).²