A Critical Examination of the Pali Canon’s Authenticity and Its Supernatural Elements

In Buddhist circles, the authoritative nature of the Pali Canon is widely accepted across the many Buddhist schools. Yet, a skeptical approach to the Pali Canon, particularly concerning its supernatural claims, can be supported with the following arguments:

1. Historical Redaction and Human Behavior: While conservative Buddhists claim that the Pali Canon represents an accurate oral transmission of the Buddha’s teachings, historical evidence suggests otherwise. Scholar Lars Fogelin points out that the Pali Canon of Sri Lanka underwent significant redactions in the fifth or sixth century AD — roughly 1,000 years after the Buddha’s death. This long gap raises questions about the authenticity of the teachings as transmitted over such a vast period. Moreover, throughout the history of religions, including Buddhism and Christianity, sacred texts have often been revised to align with dominant ideologies. This is a common human tendency, which means we should be cautious about assuming the supernatural elements in the Pali Canon are original or unaltered.
2. Editors vs. Original Teachings: Even if the Pali Canon was originally based on the Buddha’s teachings, it is the later-day editors who had the final say on what was included or omitted. As Joseph Stalin famously remarked, “Those who…