Hinduism and Buddhism: An Historical Sketch v1.c19.91

v1.c19.91

The Sinhalese ecclesiastical history, Nikâya-Sangrahawa, relates² that 235 years after the Buddha’s death nine heretical fraternities were formed who proceeded to compose scriptures of their own such as the Varnapitaka and Angulimâla-Pitaka. Though this treatise is late (*c.* 1400 A.D.) its statements merit attention as showing that even in orthodox Ceylon tradition regarded the authorized Pitaka as one of several versions. But many of the works mentioned sound like late tantric texts rather than compositions of the early heretics to whom they are attributed.