Here I present my list of Sacred texts ordered by religion and the language they were written in. This list can be improved. You can contact the author if you find an error or you want to add some more information. Bear in mind that the purpose of this list is not at all religious but Academic. This list was not made to explain the purpose or message of each text but their relations with their original language(s) and how sacred are considered those languages.
Not all books are accepted by all the followers of a religion, but are sacred to just a group of them. With Christianity, for example, the Bible is perhaps the only book accepted as sacred by all the Christians, but the rest of the texts are accepted by specific christian churches.
The column “Original”, refers to whether we can find this text in its original language or not (I do not talk about the original Text, which in most cases have been lost). Texts marked with O mean that we can find a copy of the texts in its Original language, T means that we only rely on translations and any original and copy was lost, and ? Means that we don’t know.
The column “Sacred” refers to whether the text in original language is considered more sacred that translations. Those marked with S mean that the language of the original text is considered as sacred and believers will appreciate more the use of an original text than a translation, while those marked in N mean that the language is not that important, you can read or even recite the text in your language of preference.
Sacred Books : Christianity
Book |
Name |
Languages |
Original |
Sacred |
Comments |
The Bible |
Τὰ Βιβλία (The Books) |
Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek |
O |
S |
Some translations of the Bible are considered as Sacred and some believers prefer to recite it in this Version without translating it. Example, With the Bible in Latin or in Church Slavonic. |
Book of Enoch |
|
Hebrew, Aramaic |
T |
S |
Oldest version known is in Ge’ez |
Apocrypha Gospels |
|
Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek |
? |
N |
Some of them are lost |
Book of Mormon |
|
English |
T |
N |
There are unconfirmed claims that it was written in an ancient language. |
Doctrine and Covenants |
|
English |
O |
N |
Church of JC of Later-Day Saints |
The Great Controversy |
|
English |
O |
N |
Seventh day Adventists Church |
The Holy Piby |
|
English |
? |
N |
Rastafarian book. There are claims that it was translated from Amharic |
Arcana Cœlestia |
|
Neo-Latin |
T |
N |
Swedenborgian Church |
Kebra Nagast |
The Glory of the Kings |
Ge’ez |
O |
N |
Ethiopian Orthodox Church |
Summa Theologica |
Summary of Theology |
Latin |
O |
N |
Catholic Church. Works of Thomas Aquinas |
Book of the Bee |
Ktabad d-debborita |
Syriac |
O |
N |
|
Book of the Cave of Treasures |
Me’arath Gazze |
Syriac |
O |
N |
|
Roman Missal |
|
Latin |
O |
S |
|
Book of Hours |
|
Latin |
O |
S |
Abbreviated form of the Breviary |
Horologion |
Ώρολόγιον Часоловъ |
Greek, Church Slavonic |
O |
S |
Equivalent to the Breviary. Available in other languages used in the Eastern Orthodox Church |
Euchologion |
Εὐχολόγιον Требникъ |
Greek, Church Slavonic |
O |
S |
Liturgical Book of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Available in other languages used in EOC. |
Didakhe |
Διδαχή (Teaching) |
Greek |
O |
N |
Ancient Christian teachings. Lost for centuries |
Fourfold Gospel |
|
English |
O |
N |
|
Sacred Books : Judaism
Book |
Name |
Languages |
Original |
Sacred |
Comments |
Torah |
תורה |
Hebrew |
O |
S |
Text included in the Bible |
Samaritan Torah |
|
Hebrew |
O |
S |
Text included in the Bible. Minor Differences |
Tanakh |
תנ״ך |
Hebrew, Aramaic |
O |
S |
Hebrew Bible |
Talmud |
תלמוד |
Hebrew, Aramaic |
O |
N |
Oral Tradition |
Sefer Ha’Bahir |
ספר הבהיר |
Hebrew |
O |
N |
Kabbalistic |
Zohar |
ספר הזוהר |
Aramaic |
O |
S |
|
Qumran |
|
Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek |
T |
N |
Different Manuscripts |
Siddur |
סידור |
Hebrew, Aramaic |
O |
S |
|
Piyyut |
פּיוט |
Hebrew, Aramaic |
O |
S |
Liturgical poems to be sung |
Sefer Yetzirah |
ספר יצירה |
Hebrew |
O |
S |
|
Haggadah |
הגדה של פסח |
Hebrew, Aramaic |
O |
S |
Written guide for Passover Seder |
Sacred Books : Islam and other traditions
Book |
Name |
Languages |
Original |
Sacred |
Comments |
|
Islam |
|
|||
Qur’an |
القرآن |
Arabic |
O |
S |
|
Hadith |
حديث |
Arabic |
O |
N |
|
As-Seerah An-Nabawiyyah |
السيرة النبوية |
Arabic |
O |
N |
Biographies of prophets |
|
Baha’i |
|
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Bayan |
|
Persian |
O |
N |
Babism |
Kitab-I-Aqdas |
كتاب اقدس |
Arabic |
O |
N |
|
Kitab-I-Iqan |
كتاب ايقان |
Arabic, Persian |
O |
N |
|
Hidden Words |
كلمات مكنونة |
Arabic, Persian |
O |
N |
Collection of short aphorism |
The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys |
|
Persian |
O |
N |
|
The Summons of the Lord of Hosts |
|
Arabic, Persian |
O |
N |
Collection of five tablets written to the rulers of the world |
|
Druze |
|
|||
Rasa’il Al-Hikma |
رسائل الحكمة |
Arabic |
? |
S |
Secret text. Virtually unknown outside community |
|
Mandeanism |
|
|||
Ginza |
|
Mandaic Aramaic |
O |
S |
|
Qolusta |
|
Mandaic Aramaic |
O |
S |
|
Mandean Book of John |
|
Mandaic Aramaic |
O |
S |
|
|
Gnosticism |
|
|||
Nag Hammadi |
|
Coptic |
? |
N |
Originals might be in Greek |
Pistis Sophia |
Πίστις Σοφία |
Greek |
T |
N |
Texts available in Coptic |
Corpus Hermeticus |
|
Greek |
T |
N |
Some parts in original language are lost |
Gnostic Gospels |
|
Greek, Coptic |
? |
N |
|
Sacred Books : Zoroastrianism
Book |
Name |
Languages |
Original |
Sacred |
Comments |
Zend Avesta |
|
Avestan |
O |
S |
Original composed by 21 parts called “Nasks”. Today survive only 5 Nasks and some fragments. |
Gathas |
Hymns |
Old Avestan |
O |
S |
Part of Yasna, one of Nasks that currently compose the Zend Avesta. |
Denkard |
Acts of Religion |
Pahlevi (Middle Persian) |
? |
N |
9th century religious encyclopedia. Some parts might be translations of lost parts of the ancient Avesta. Some parts are lost. |
Bundahishn |
|
Pazand (Middle Persian with different script) |
? |
N |
Bundahishn and Greater Bundahishn. Some parts might be translations of lost parts of the ancient Avesta. |
Dadestan-i Denig |
|
Pahlevi |
O |
N |
Q&A directed to an ancient High priest |
Menog-i Khrad |
Mind of Wisdom |
Pazand |
? |
N |
Some parts might be translations of lost parts of the ancient Avesta |
Zand-e Vohuman Yasht |
|
Pazand |
O |
N |
|
Sad-Dar |
Hundred Doors |
Persian |
O |
N |
|
Shayest Na-Shayest |
Proper and Improper |
Pahlevi |
O |
N |
|
Zadspram |
|
Pahlevi |
O |
N |
|
Persian Rivayats |
|
Persian |
O |
N |
Series of Letters written with Avestan letters |
Matigan-i Hazar Dadestan |
|
Pahlevi |
O |
N |
Law Book. Some parts are lost. |
Shikand Gumanik Vijar |
|
Pahlevi |
O |
N |
|
Sacred Books : Buddhism
Book |
Name |
Languages |
Original |
Sacred |
Comments |
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta |
Setting in Motion the wheel of the Dharma |
Pali |
O |
S |
First Sermon Given by Buddha |
Tripitaka |
The Three Baskets |
Pali |
O |
S |
There are other Canons that use other languages, like the Sanskrit Canon, Chinese Canon and Tibetan Canon. |
Dhammapada |
|
Pali |
O |
S |
Collection of sayings of Buddha |
Visuddhimaga |
The Path of Purification |
Pali |
O |
N |
|
Sutra Mahayana |
|
Sanskrit |
T |
N |
Part of them survive in the Chinese and Tibetan canon |
Lotus Sutra |
|
Sanskrit |
T |
N |
Probably written in Prakrit |
Prajnaparamita |
The perfection of Wisdom |
Sanskrit |
O |
N |
|
Vimalakirti Nirdesha Sutra |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
N |
|
Diamond Sutra |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
N |
Mahayana Sutra |
Heart Sutra |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
N |
Mahayana Sutra |
Longer Sukhavativyuha Sutra |
Infinite Life Sutra |
Sanskrit |
T |
N |
Mahayana Sutra |
Bardo Thödol |
|
Tibetan |
O |
N |
Tibetan Book of the Death. |
Sacred Books : Hinduism
Book |
Name |
Languages |
Original |
Sacred |
Comments |
Vedas |
|
Vedic Sanskrit |
O |
S |
Oldest Religious texts written in Sanskrit, being Rigveda the oldest |
Upanishad |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
S |
Shruti : Means: “which is heard” Most authoritative texts for this religion. |
Brahmanas |
Explanations |
Sanskrit |
O |
S |
Shruti |
Samhita |
Arrangement |
Sanskrit |
O |
S |
Manthrams, Prayers, hymns, litanies. |
Aranyaka |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
S |
Shruti |
Puranas |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
N |
Smriti : Means :"Which is remembered. Written down. Some texts were composed in Tamil |
Post-Vedic Shastras |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
N |
Smriti. Post Vedic literature |
Post-Vedic Sutras |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
N |
Smriti |
Mahabharata |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
N |
Smriti. Epics of Ancient India |
Bhagavad Gita |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
N |
Smriti |
Ramayana |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
N |
Smriti |
Agamas |
|
Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu |
O |
N |
Tantrism |
Baudhayana Shrauta Sutra |
|
Sanskrit |
O |
N |
Late Vedic liturgical text. |
Thevaram |
|
Tamil |
O |
N |
Shaiva Texts |
Sacred Books : Other Traditions India
Book |
Name |
Languages |
Original |
Sacred |
Comments |
Tattvartha Sutra |
On the Nature of reality |
Sanskrit |
O |
S |
Jainism |
Agama |
Tradition |
Sanskrit and Maharashtri Prakrit |
O |
S |
Jainism |
Shri Guru Granth Sahib |
|
Persian, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Multani, medieval Prakrit and other dialects. Written in Gurmukhi script. |
O |
N |
Sikhs |
Akilathirattu Ammanai |
|
Tamil |
O |
S |
Ayyavazhism |
Arul Nool |
|
Tamil |
O |
S |
Ayyavazhism |
Sacred Books : Taoism, Confucianism & Shintoism
Book |
Name |
Languages |
Original |
Sacred |
Comments |
Five Classics |
五經 |
Chinese |
O |
N |
Traditional Confucian cannon. Shijing, Shujing, Lijing, Yijing and Chunqiu. A sixth text known as “Classic of Music” was lost |
Yijing |
易經 (Book of Changes) |
Chinese |
O |
N |
Part of Five Classics. Highly regarded in Taoism. Used for Divinaton. |
The Four Books |
四书 |
Chinese |
O |
N |
Core values and belief system in Confucianism. Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Mencius, Analects |
Tao Te King |
道德經 |
Chinese |
O |
S |
Taoism |
Zhuang Zi |
莊子 |
Chinese |
O |
S |
Taoism |
Liezi |
列子 |
Chinese |
O |
S |
Taoism |
Kojiki |
古事記 (Ancient Chronicles) |
Japanese |
O |
S |
Shintoism |
Nihongi |
|
Japanese |
O |
N |
Shintoism |
Kogo Shui |
|
Japanese |
O |
N |
Shintoism. Oldest Written history of Japan. Complements the earlier |
Sacred Books : Other Traditions
Book |
Name |
Languages |
Religion |
Comments |
Arzhang |
|
Syriac |
Manichaeism |
Also known as the Book of Pictures. The original was lost. Some copies and translations still exist but we don’t know if the full text exists. |
Kitêba Cilweh |
The Book of Revelations |
Kurmanji |
Yezidism |
Original text unknown outside Kurdish Community |
Mishefa Reş |
|
Kurmanji |
Yezidism |
Original text unknown outside Kurdish Community |
Saranjâm |
سه ره نجام |
Gorani |
Yarsanism |
Central book |
Enuma Elish |
|
Akkadian |
Old Mesopotamian Religions |
tablets in cuneiform. Part of the texts were lost. |
Gilgamesh |
|
Sumerian, Akkadian |
Old Mesopotamian Religions |
Most of the known text is in Akkadian. Probably oldest accounts in Sumerian were lost |
Popol Vuh |
|
K’iche |
Mayan Religion |
Mythology and history of K’iche people. 4 books. |
Chilam Balam |
Secrets of the Soothsayers |
Maya, Spanish |
Mayan Religion |
There are different versions. Some parts are lost. Includes Myths and prophecies |
Edda |
|
Old Norse |
Norse Myths |
Poetic and Prose Edda |
Hávamál |
Sayings of the High One |
Old Norse |
Norse Myths |
Collections of Poems. Parts of Edda. Words Attributed to Odin |
Völuspá |
Prophecies of the seeress |
Old Norse |
Norse Myths |
Best known poem of Poetic Edda. The Creation of the world. Prophecies |
Book of the Dead |
|
Old Egyptian |
Ancient Egyptian Religions |
Collection of funerary texts. Written in papyrus and originally carved in tombs and coffins. There’s no single cannon, the most famous is the Papyrus of Ani |
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