<p>On <a href="http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/appendixes/chron.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this page</a> and <a href="https://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut053.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this page</a>, you can find the "Chronology Of The Pali Canon" by Dr. Bimala Churn Law.</p>

<p>Here, it is written in the beginning:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Rhys Davids in his Buddhist India (p. 188) has given a chronological
  table of Buddhist literature from the time of the Buddha to the time
  of Asoka which is as follows:--</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li><p>The simple statements of Buddhist doctrine now found, in identical words, in paragraphs or verses recurring in all the books.</p></li>
  <li><p>Episodes found, in identical words, in two or more of the existing books.</p></li>
  <li><p>The Silas, the Parayana, the Octades, the Patimokkha.</p></li>
  <li><p>The Digha, Majjhima, Anguttara, and Samyutta Nikayas.</p></li>
  <li><p>The Sutta-Nipata, the Thera-and Theri-Gathas, the Udanas, and the Khuddaka Patha.</p></li>
  <li><p>The Sutta Vibhanga, and Khandhkas.</p></li>
  <li><p>The Jatakas and the Dhammapadas.</p></li>
  <li><p>The Niddesa, the Itivuttakas and the Patisambbhida.</p></li>
  <li><p>The Peta and Vimana-Vatthus, the Apadana, the Cariya-Pitaka, and the Buddha-Vamsa.</p></li>
  <li><p>The Abhidhamma books; the last of which is the Katha-Vatthu, and the earliest probably the Puggala-Pannatti.</p></li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>But later, after in-depth analysis, the author comes to the conclusion:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The results arrived at concerning the chronology of the Pali canonical
  listerature are preseented in the subjoined table:</p>
  
  <p>(1) The simple statements of Buddhist doctrines now found, in identical words, in paragraphs or verses recurring in all the books.</p>
  
  <p>(2) Episodes found, in identical works, in two or more of the existing books.</p>
  
  <p>(3) The Silas, the Parayana group of sixteen poems without the prologue, the atthaka group of four or sixteen poems, the sikkhapadas.</p>
  
  <p>(4) The Digha, Vol. l, the Majjhima, the Samyutta, the Anguttara, and earlier Patimokkha code of 152 rules.</p>
  
  <p>(5) The Digha, Vols. II &amp; III, the Thera-Theri-Gatha, the collection of 500 Jatakas, the Suttavibhanga, the Partisambhidamagga,
  the Puggala-pannatti and the Vibhanga.</p>
  
  <p>(6) The Mahavagga and the Cullavagga, the Patimokkha code completing 227 rules, the Vimanavatthu and Petavatthu, the Dhammapada
  and the Kathavatthu.</p>
  
  <p>(7) The Cullaniddesa, the Mahaniddesa, the Udana, the Itivuttaka, the Suttanipata, the Dhatukatha, the Yamaka and the Patthana.</p>
  
  <p>(8) The Buddhavamsa, the Cariyapitaka and the Apadana.</p>
  
  <p>(9) The Parivarapatha.</p>
  
  <p>(10) The Khuddakapatha.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>But there is no table available listing each sutta with its date of writing.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-07T16:09:55.350Z
2017-10-07T16:09:55.350Z
ruben2020
<p>When were Buddhist suttas written?</p>

<p>Does anybody know any source with a compiled list of suttas and their approximate date of writing? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-07T16:56:51.517Z
This question is partially answered here: [Which are considered to be the oldest suttas?](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9855/254)
ChrisW
<pali-canon><sutras><history><canon>
When were Buddhist suttas written?
# When were Buddhist suttas written?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-10-07)

When were Buddhist suttas written?

Does anybody know any source with a compiled list of suttas and their approximate date of writing?

**Tags:** pali-canon, sutras, history, canon

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This question is partially answered here: [Which are considered to be the oldest suttas?](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9855/254)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-10-07. Score: 3

On [this page](http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/appendixes/chron.htm) and [this page](https://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut053.htm), you can find the "Chronology Of The Pali Canon" by Dr. Bimala Churn Law.

Here, it is written in the beginning:

> Rhys Davids in his Buddhist India (p. 188) has given a chronological
> table of Buddhist literature from the time of the Buddha to the time
> of Asoka which is as follows:--
>
> 1. The simple statements of Buddhist doctrine now found, in identical words, in paragraphs or verses recurring in all the books.
> 2. Episodes found, in identical words, in two or more of the existing books.
> 3. The Silas, the Parayana, the Octades, the Patimokkha.
> 4. The Digha, Majjhima, Anguttara, and Samyutta Nikayas.
> 5. The Sutta-Nipata, the Thera-and Theri-Gathas, the Udanas, and the Khuddaka Patha.
> 6. The Sutta Vibhanga, and Khandhkas.
> 7. The Jatakas and the Dhammapadas.
> 8. The Niddesa, the Itivuttakas and the Patisambbhida.
> 9. The Peta and Vimana-Vatthus, the Apadana, the Cariya-Pitaka, and the Buddha-Vamsa.
> 10. The Abhidhamma books; the last of which is the Katha-Vatthu, and the earliest probably the Puggala-Pannatti.

But later, after in-depth analysis, the author comes to the conclusion:

> The results arrived at concerning the chronology of the Pali canonical
> listerature are preseented in the subjoined table:
>
> (1) The simple statements of Buddhist doctrines now found, in identical words, in paragraphs or verses recurring in all the books.
>
> (2) Episodes found, in identical works, in two or more of the existing books.
>
> (3) The Silas, the Parayana group of sixteen poems without the prologue, the atthaka group of four or sixteen poems, the sikkhapadas.
>
> (4) The Digha, Vol. l, the Majjhima, the Samyutta, the Anguttara, and earlier Patimokkha code of 152 rules.
>
> (5) The Digha, Vols. II & III, the Thera-Theri-Gatha, the collection of 500 Jatakas, the Suttavibhanga, the Partisambhidamagga,
> the Puggala-pannatti and the Vibhanga.
>
> (6) The Mahavagga and the Cullavagga, the Patimokkha code completing 227 rules, the Vimanavatthu and Petavatthu, the Dhammapada
> and the Kathavatthu.
>
> (7) The Cullaniddesa, the Mahaniddesa, the Udana, the Itivuttaka, the Suttanipata, the Dhatukatha, the Yamaka and the Patthana.
>
> (8) The Buddhavamsa, the Cariyapitaka and the Apadana.
>
> (9) The Parivarapatha.
>
> (10) The Khuddakapatha.

But there is no table available listing each sutta with its date of writing.


---

