when it was written down. The memorization was reinforced by regular communal recitations. The tradition holds that only a few later additions were made. The Theravadin pitakas were first written down in Sri Lanka in the Alu Viharaya Temple no earlier than 29-17 BC.

The geographic setting of identifiable texts within the Canon generally corresponds to locations in the Ganges region of northeastern India, including the kingdoms of Kosala, Kasi,