nikāya

collection (“body”) assemblage, class, group.

  1. generally (always-˚): eka˚; one class of beings Dhs-a.66; tiracchāna˚; the animal kingdom SN.iii.152; deva˚; the assembly of the gods, the gods DN.ii.261 (60); MN.i.102; SN.iv.180; AN.iii.249; AN.iv.461; Pv-a.136; satta˚; the world of beings, the animate creation, a class of living beings SN.ii.2, SN.ii.42, SN.ii.44; MN.i.49 (tesaṃ tesaṃ sattānaṃ tamhi tamhi s
    ■ nikāye of all beings in each class); Vb.137; Pv-a.134.
  2. especially the coll. of Buddhist Suttas, as the 5 sections of the Suttanta Piṭaka, viz. Dīgha˚, Majjhima˚, Saṃyutta˚ Anguttara˚ (referred to as D.M.S.A. in Dictionaryquotations), Khuddaka˚; enumerated Pv-a.2; Anvs p. 35; Dhp-a.ii.95 (dhammāsanaṃ āruyha pañcahi nikāyehi atthañ ca kāraṇañ ca ākaḍḍhitvā). The five Nikāyas are enumerated also at Vism.711; one is referred to at Snp-a.195 (pariyāpuṇāti master by heart). See further details under piṭaka. Cp. nekāyika.

Sk. nikāya, ni + kāya