There are many who would have you believe that the only writings that can be called scripture are those that support their own beliefs, sect or religion. Maybe none are so bad at this as the Christian religions. They quote from The New Testament and reinforce their authority to do so from the same book, yet can not see that at the time that this collection of letters and documentaries were writen, they were not classified as scripture.
The following are definitions of the word 'scripture'.
scripture - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :
Scripture \Scrip"ture\ (?; 135), n. [L. scriptura, fr. scribere,
scriptum, to write: cf. OF. escripture, escriture, F.
['e]criture. See Scribe.]
1. Anything written; a writing; a document; an inscription.
[1913 Webster]
I have put it in scripture and in remembrance.
--Chaucer.
any book or body of writings, esp. when regarded as sacred by a particular religious group
ENCARTA DICTIONARY:
This dictionary list amongst the meanings for the word scripture, the following:
Sacred texts: Any sacred writing or text.
Authoritive Statement: A statement regarded as authoritative
Below are I have listed some names of writings that can be classified as scripture, together with the groups that generally use them.
Scripture(s) |
Group |
Old Testament (Tanakh) |
Judaism; Christianity (different compilations for Jews, Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants) |
Talmud |
Judaism |
Midrash |
Judaism |
New Testament |
Christianity |
Qur'an |
Islam |
Sunnah (from hadith) |
Islam: Sunni |
Nahjul Balagha |
Islam: Shiite |
Avesta |
Zoroastrianism |
Vedas |
Hinduism |
Upanishads |
Hinduism |
Bhagavad Gita (in the Mahabharata) |
Hinduism |
various Puranas (Vishnu Purana, Shiva Purana, Skanda Purana, Linga Purana, Garuda Purana, Matsya Purana, etc.) |
Hinduism: newer movements, Vaishnavite, Shaivite |
Tantras (including Kularnava Tantra) |
Hinduism |
sutras, and their commentaries |
Hinduism |
Vachanas |
Lingayats (Virashaiva) |
Adi Granth |
Sikhism |
Purvas (12 angas including Acarangasutra and Sutrakritanga, 34 angabahya including Uttaradhyayana Sutra and Kalpa Sutra. Also: Upasakdasanga Sutra, Dashavaikalika Sutra, and Nandi Sutra) |
Jainism: Shvetambara |
Purvas (small number; reject most Shvetambara Purvas) |
Jainism: Digambara |
large number of scholastic expositions (anuyoga): Samayasara, Niyamasara, Pravacanasara, and Pancastikaya; Anupreksa; Samadhishataka of Pujyapada; Tattvarthasutra of Umasvati |
Jainism: Digambara |
Tattvarthasutra |
Jainism (minor differences between Digambara and Shvetambara versions) |
Other separate books of Jain Canon: Sanmatitarka, Gomattasara, Jayadhavala, Adipurana, Dvatrimshika, Aptamimamsa, Mulacara, Ratnakarandasravakacara, Sagaradharmamrita |
Jainism |
Pali Tripitaka |
Buddhism |
Jataka stories (semi-cannonical) |
Buddhism: Theravada |
Visuddimagga or Path of Purification (semi-cannonical) |
Buddhism: Theravada |
Questions of King Milinda (semi-cannonical) |
Buddhism: Theravada |
Chinese Tripitaka |
Buddhism: Mahayana |
Tibetan Tripitaka |
Buddhism: Mahayana |
Lotus Sutra (Saddharma-Pundarika) |
Buddhism: Mahayana |
Sukhavativyuha Sutras |
Buddhism: Mahayana: Pure Land |
Meditation on Buddha Amitayus (Amitayur Dhyana Sutra) |
Buddhism: Mahayana: Pure Land |
Garland Sutra (Avatamsaka Sutra) |
Buddhism: Mahayana: Kegon/Hua-yen |
Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sutra) |
Buddhism: Mahayana |
Sutra of Hui Neng (Platform Sutra) |
Buddhism: Mahayana: Zen |
Lankavatara Sutra |
Buddhism: Mahayana: Zen |
Mahaparinirvana Sutra; Surangama Sutra Buddha; Golden Light Sutra (Suvarnaprabhasottama) |
Buddhism: Mahayana |
writings of Nagarjuna, Shantideva, Aryadeva, Vasubandhu, Dharmakirti, Gyalwa Longchenpa, Sakya Pandita, Milarepa, and Lama Tsongkhapa |
Buddhism: Tibetan |
Mulamadhyamaka Karika and Precious Garland |
Buddhism: Tibetan |
Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Bodhisattvacharyavatara) |
Buddhism: Tibetan |
Hevajra Tantra; Kalacakra Tantra; Guhyasamaja Tantra |
Buddhism: Tibetan |
Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol) |
Buddhism: Tibetan |
Five Classics: Book of Songs; Book of History; Spring and Autumn Annals; Book of Ritual; I Ching (Book of Changes) |
Confucianism (I-Ching is also cannonical for Taoism) |
Four Books: Analects; the Great Learning; the Doctrine of the Mean; the Mencius |
Confucianism |
Tao Te Ching |
Taoism |
Chuang-tzu |
Taoism |
Treatise on Response and Retribution (T'ai-Shang Kan-Ying P'ien) |
Taoism: popular religious Taoism |
Tract of the Quiet Way (Yin Chih Wen) |
Taoism: popular religious Taoism |
Kojiki |
Shinto |
Nihon Shoki |
Shinto |
K-oki |
Tenrikyo |
Ofudesaki |
Tenrikyo |
Mikagura-uta |
Tenrikyo |
Michi-no-Shiori |
Omoto |
Johrei |
Sekai Kyusei Kyo |
Goseigen |
Mahikari |
Nectarean Shower of Holy Doctrines |
Seicho-no-Ie |
Song of the Angel |
Seicho-no-Ie |
Holy Sutra for Spiritual Healing |
Seicho-no-Ie |
Divine Teachings of Kyososama |
Shinreikyo |
Chun Boo Kyung |
ancient Korean |
Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah |
Bahai Faith |
Book of Certitude (Kitab-i-Iqan) |
Bahai Faith |
Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah |
Bahai Faith |
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf |
Bahai Faith |
Book of Mormon |
Christianity: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
Doctrine and Covenants |
Christianity: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
Pearl of Great Price |
Christianity: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures |
Christianity: Christian Science |
Dianetics |
Scientology |
This topic is examined in more detail either from the website that I obtained this list from : http://www.adherents.com/adh_influbooks.html or from links available on that site.
Finally I have to ask myself the following. When the world seems full of these sacred writings, why is it that the individual religions want to retain their individuality and not share in the wealth of material that the Creator, the Father of all mankind, has provided for us? |