Sutra
Sūtra (सूत्र) (
Sanskrit) or
Sutta (
Pāli) literally means a rope or thread that holds things together, and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. It is derived from the verbal root
siv-, meaning
to sew (these words, including English
to sew and Latinate
suture, all derive from
PIE syū-). In
Hinduism the 'sutras' form a school of
Vedic study, related to and somewhat later than the
Upanishads. They served and continue to act as grand treatises on various schools of
Hindu Philosophy. They elaborate in succinct verse, sometimes esoteric, Hindu views of metaphysics, cosmogony, the human condition,
moksha (liberation), and how to maintain a blissful,
dharmic life, in a cosmic spin of
karma,
reincarnation and
desire.
In
Buddhism, the term "sutra" refers generally to canonical
scriptures that are regarded as records of the oral teachings of
Gautama Buddha. In Chinese, these are known as
ching. These teachings are assembled in the second part of the
Tripitaka which is called
Sutra Pitaka. There are also some Buddhist texts, such as the
Platform Sutra, that are called sutras despite being attributed to much later authors.
The
Pali form of the word,
sutta is used exclusively to refer to Buddhist scriptures, particularly those of the
Pali Canon.
Below is a list of sutra]]s, organized alphabetically under the broad categories of
Hinduism and
Buddhism.
Sutras primarily associated with Hinduism
*
Shiksha (phonetics)
*
Chandas (metrics)
*
Vyakarana (grammar)
**
Ashtadhyayi (
Panini), discussing grammar
*
Nirukta (etymology)
*
Jyotisha (astronomy)
*
Kalpa (ritual)
**
Srauta Sutras, performance of sacrifices
**
Smarta Sutras***
Grhya Sutras, covering domestic life
*** Samayacarika or
Dharma Sutras****
Sulba Sutras, architecture of sacrificial area
*
Brahma Sutras (or Vedanta Sutra) (
Badarayana)
*
Yoga Sutras; (
Patanjali)
*
Nyaya Sutras, on logic
*
Vaisesika SutraSutras primarily associated with Buddhism
Pali sutras
*
Digha Nikaya:
34 sutras, including
**
Brahmajala Sutta, a critique of 64 'wrong views' current at the time of the
Buddha**
Mahaparinibbana Sutta, the last days of the Buddha,
Theravada version
*
Majjhima Nikaya:
152 sutras, including
**
Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta, on questions that lead to a
thicket of views and on the extinguished
fire as a
metaphor for
nirvana**
Anapanasati Sutta, a discourse on the method of being
mindful of the breath
**
Satipatthana Sutta*
Samyutta Nikaya:
2,889 sutras, including
**
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, the Buddha's first discourse on the nature of his
enlightenment**
Upanisa Sutta, on the two types of conditionality
*
Anguttara Nikaya:
2,308 sutras, including
**
Kalama Sutta, the Buddha's advice to the Kalamas on how to decide which practices are correct
**
Metta Sutta, a rhapsody on the quality of universal loving-kindness
*
Khuddaka Nikaya:
266 sutras and miscellaneous texts, including
**
Dhammapada, a collection of sayings and aphorisms thought to be amongst the oldest texts
Mahayana sutras
*
Amitabha Sutra, or
Smaller Pure Land Sutra*
Avatamsaka Sutra or
Flower Garland Sutra (Chinese:
Huayan Jing)
*
Contemplation Sutra, important in Pure Land Buddhism
*
Diamond Sutra*
Heart Sutra, important in
Zen Buddhism*
Infinite Life Sutra, or
Large Pure Land Sutra*
Lankavatara Sutra*
Lotus Sutra, foundational text of
Tiantai and
Nichiren sects
*
Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the last days of the Buddha,
Mahayana version
*
Perfection of Wisdom or
Prajñāparamita Sutras*
Platform Sutra of the
Sixth Patriarch*
Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment (Chinese:
Yuanjue Jing)
*
Shurangama Sutra*
Sutra in Forty-Two Sections*
Sutra of Golden Light, important in
Japanese Buddhism*
Ten Stages Sutra*
The Blessing of the Original Vow of the Master of Healing, Azure Radiance Tathagata*
Ullambana Sutra*
Vimalakirti-nirdesa SutraVajrayana sutras
*
Mahavairocana Sutra also known as the Mahavairocanādhisambodhi Tantra.
*
Vajrasekhara SutraOther Sutras
*
Kama Sutra, written by
Vatsyayana, the sutra of
kama (sensual gratification), explains sexual positions.
*
Smokey the Bear Sutra, Written by
American poet
Gary Snyder (b.
1930) in
1969, which presents
20th century environmental concerns and convictions in the form of a Buddhist sutra. It is widely available on the internet due to the author's grant of free reproduction of the text. See
Wikisource - Smokey the Bear Sutra.
*
Smriti*
Chinese Buddhist canon*
Tibetan Buddhist canon*
Chinese repository of Buddhist Sutras translated into English. Also has other texts.
*
Sacred-texts.com*
Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (log in with userID "guest")
*
A Modern Sutra*
Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon* Monier-Williams, Monier. (1899)
A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Delhi:Motilal Banarsidass. p. 1241
