The Sutta Piṭaka is one of three pitakas (main sections) which together constitute the Tripiṭaka, or Pāli Canon of Theravāda Buddhism.
The story itself however is originally based on Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of China, where two characters of the same name; Monkey and Tripitaka must travel across a landscape with Monkey also at command, the novel being used more as a basis on the plot rather than a straight adaptation.
One day, the Goddess Quan Yen told Monkey that the Monk Tripitaka will set him free and Monkey will join him on a pilgrimage from China to India.
Mahinda grew up at Vidisha, the residence of his mother and became a monk at the age of 20 with Moggaliputta-Tissa, his father's spiritual teacher, guiding him and was well-versed with the Tripitaka.
Ralpacan was considered to be an emanation of Vajrapani, and encouraged Indian and Tibetan scholars to translate the Tripitaka, the Commentaries, and ancient Tantras into the Tibetan language.