In Thailand, the course in Pali is organized in 9 grades, and all the texts they have to study are … Commentaries !
You have:
• the Dhammapada commentary at the first 5 grades,
• the Mangalatthadipanī ( a 1524 A.D Thai commentary) at the 4th & 5th grade,
• then the Samanta-Pasadika ( Vinaya Commentary ) for the 6th & 7th,
• the Visuddhimagga at the 8th grade
• and finally the Abhidhammasangahā at the 9th grade
And for the Nak Tam ? Navakovāda and Vināya Mukha ( there might be another one also but not a Sutta book)
And for the Thai Forest tradition ? Pubbasikkhavannana, Vināya Mukha, Ajaan Canda’s Vinaya book & the very authoritative words of your Kruba Ajaans.
Even for the Suttas & Vinaya, when you get them translated, you have the collection going along with all their commentaries.
A quiet controversial Thai monk has created a collection of Suttas without the commentaries. He doesn’t list the Abhidhamma in his “Buddhavacana” but I think he includes the Apadanas …
What about the Sri Lankan official Pali grades ? Do they study the Suttas or only the the Sub-Commentaries ? …