Pali was much in use around the first few centuries of this millenium. Much of Buddhist canonical text is in Pali.

Tripitaka is a collection of  Buddhist tenets. Vinaya Pitaka, a part of Tripitaka, contains rules and regulations for Buddhist monks and nuns. Sutta Pitaka, another part of the Tripitaka, contains Buddha's speeches, sermons and dialogues. The Sutta and Vinaya Pitakas are accepted as not later than 380 BC. Petakopadesa  is an introduction to the Tripitaka. Abhidharna is the third of the pitakas.

Jataka  stories are found even in the Tripitaka itself. They were widely known in the 3rd century B.C.The Pali work Jataka consists of 550 Jatakas or stories of Buddha's previous births, arranged in 22 nipatas or books. Each story begins with a preface which explains the circumstances in the Buddha's life which led him to relate this particular Jataka or birth-story, and so reveal the story of one of his numerous previous births as a bodhisattva (one meant to become the Buddha). The stories abound in information about life and customs of ancient India, and characters and situations that are found everywhere even today. Both literature and history, the Jataka is a treasure house of  Indian heritage. The Pali commentary by Buddhaghosha on Jataka is named Jatakatha Vannana. Diparamsa Mahavamsa, recounting the history of Sri Lanka, also provides information about the genesis and spread of Buddhism and the reign of  Emperor Ashoka. Chullavamsa is a supplement to it.

Other  instances of Pali literature are Dathavamsa, Gandhavamsa, Kassapa, and Tela Katha Gatha. 

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