The History of Buddhist Thought c20.15

c20.15

Dr. Mookerji says that this edict throws great light upon the history of the Buddhist canonical literature, but it is difficult to see in what way. It may be supposed that Asoka chose those passages which had impressed him and which he thought suitable for the monks. There is no mention in them of the Vinaya itself (even the word *vinaya* in *vinaya-samukasa* is disputed by Walleser) nor of the Abhidhamma, and only one or possibly two passages are in the four Nikāyas.