十二部經中去方廣與授記及無問自說之三部者。是小乘教之九部也。又有大乘教之九部。十二部中除因緣與譬喻及論義之三部者是也。然常言之九部，則多指小乘教。法華經方便品曰：「我此九部法，隨順眾生說，入大乘為本，以故說是經。」梁僧傳三（求那跋麼）曰：「洞明九部，博曉四含。」皆言小乘教也。參照九部經及九經條。
(九部經) Nine of the Hīnayāna twelve classes of sūtras, that is, all except the 方廣, 授記 and 無門自說. Generally the term is thus interpreted, but there is also a Mahāyāna division of nine of the twelve sūtras, i.e. all except the 緣起, 譬喻, 論議. These are: sūtras, the Buddha's sermons; geyas, metrical pieces; vyākaraṇas, prophecies; gāthās, chants or poems; udāṇas, impromptu or unsolicited addresses; ityuktas, or itivṛttakas, marratives; jātakas, stories of former lives of Buddha, etc.; vaipulyas, expanded sūtras, etc.; adbhutadharmas, miracles, etc.; v. 十二部經.