Buddhist literature can generally be divided into several groups:

• The Theravāda Tipitaka:
  The original teachings of the Buddha originally preserved in the Pāli language.
• Theravāda Teachings of Discipline - Vinaya
• Theravāda Teachings of the Buddha - Suttas
• Theravāda higher discources - Abhidamma


• Māhayana Literature:
  In addition to the Theravāda Tipitaka/Sanskrit Tripitaka, the following categories of literature are included:
  • Mahāyana Teachings of the Buddha and of the Boddhisattvas - Sūtras (generally recorded in Sanskrit).
  • Commentaries of these original Sūtras by learned Buddhist Scholars - Śāstras.
  • Zen Kōuns - the recorded sayings and doings of enlightened Ch'an/Zen Masters.
  
  
• Vajrayana Literature:
  The Vajrayana includes both the Theravāda Tipitaka, the Māhayana Sūtras and Śāstras as well as the various Tantrayana/Mantrayana sources.