These commentaries, known as sūtra sannayas, and/or as sūtra vistara sannayas, were composed in large numbers beginning in the middle of the eighteenth century. In what follows, I present the historical context for this change in Buddhist textual practices…

The revival of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha in eighteenth century Sri Lanka was accompanied by a renewed focus on study of the Pāli Suttas and Vinaya. This necessitated (and, eventually, facilitated) the creation of a large corpus of vernacular commentaries aimed at educating novice monks.