The Tripitaka is the formal term for a Buddhist canon of various scriptures. Many different versions of the canon exist. In China alone, there are the Chinese Tripitaka, the Manchu Tripitaka (the Manju hergen I ubaliyabuha g'anjur nomun), and the Tibetan Tripitaka (the Bkav-bstan-vgyur).

Branching out into bkav-vgyur and bstan-vgyur, the Tibetan Tripitaka is popular in areas where Tibetan Buddhism prevails. Bkav-vgyur contains translation of statements made by Sakyamuni himself, and the bstan-vgyur explanations and analysis of teachings of Sakyamuni made by disciples of the founder of Buddhism. The Tibetan Tripitaka in gold ink on view here, made up of 108 cases, was made in 1770 at the order of the Ch'ing emperor Ch'ien-lung in celebration of his mother's 80th birthday. The Manchu Tripitaka was translated primarily from the Chinese version, and the project, commissioned by the emperor as well, was completed by Rol-pavi rdo-rje in the 55th year (1790) of his reign. Printed in both red and black inks, the Tripitaka is contained in 108 cases, and includes over 700 different Buddhist classics numbering 2,466 chüan in all.

The cases for the Manchu and Tibetan Tripitaka are composed of front and back boards, as well as wrappings. The boards include an inner and an outer pair. The outer pair is made of red lacquered wood, and the inner pair dark bluish wood. The top piece is wrapped in layers of white, blue, green, red, and yellow silk, and the lower piece painted with five Buddhist images in color. The leaves between the two boards are bound with silk thongs, along with a white silk ceremonial hada cloth, and finally wrapped in yellow silk.