Questions tagged [sutras]
A type of literary composition in of varying length. In Buddhism this mostly refers to canonical texts. Sutras is a Sanskrit term however the Pali term sutta is often used by certain traditions. The two terms are equivalent.
285
questions
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6answers
162 views
What is the “meditation on emptiness” in MN 121?
What is the "meditation on emptiness" in MN 121?
What does "emptiness" refer to in this sutta?
Also, what does "oneness dependent on the perception of ..." mean in this sutta?
“Indeed, Ānanda, ...
3
votes
5answers
129 views
Dhatu-vibhanga sutta question?
Why consciousness not discussed as internal and external in Dhathu-vibhanga sutta?
"And what is the space property? The space property may be either internal or external. What is the internal space ...
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3answers
79 views
Does the Foam Sutta (SN 22.95) say there are “no things” or, otherwise, discuss emptiness similar to Nagarjuna?
I read the following on the internet:
I think your saying that "Nagarjuna that purports there are no things"
was an oversimplification or misrepresentation -- conversely the quote
or summary ...
3
votes
5answers
264 views
Why did Buddha use the 'Raft Simile'?
The Raft Simile says, in part:
I have taught the Dhamma compared to a raft, for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of holding onto. Understanding the Dhamma as taught compared to a ...
2
votes
1answer
49 views
Like a fish in a puddle, what joy is there
For years I've been trying to find the source of a quote, but I've only been able to get so far.
The quote is "Like a fish in a puddle, what joy is there."
This seems to come from some verses ...
2
votes
7answers
198 views
What did Buddha mean by the words “tranquillising the bodily formation” in the Anapanasati Sutta?
“Here a bhikkhu, gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut, sits down; having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, and established mindfulness in front of him, ever ...
2
votes
2answers
70 views
Which Sutta? Karma of unknowingly doing evil is worse than knowingly doing evil
Which Sutta? Karma of unknowingly doing evil is worse than knowingly doing evil.
Which Sutta(s) talk about this, hopefully in more detail than I can remember?
The subject is karmic consequence, and ...
0
votes
6answers
149 views
What is the common understanding of all enlightened people?
There are many sutras and they are on different topics. Many people got enlightened by asking different sutras. Ven. Saripuththa thero got sothapanna by asking to cause and effect. Ven. Kondanna thero ...
0
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2answers
68 views
Infinity, eternity, countlessness in Buddhism
I'm interested in concepts of infinity, eternity, countlessness, etc. in Buddhist thought.
Could you please help me out with sources, both primary and secondary, where these concepts are used?
I ...
0
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2answers
38 views
Relaxation vs Laziness
In karniyametta sutta, Lord Buddha advised us to be relaxed and not to cling to the work.
How can I recognise relaxation from laziness ?
4
votes
4answers
2k views
Does the Buddha deny genetic differences?
In MN.98, the Buddha seems to deny the ethnic/racial/genetic differences between humans. He seems to indicate that differences in physical traits between individuals are not determined by birth as in ...
0
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3answers
64 views
How do you understand the Cakkavatti Sutta?
https://suttacentral.net/dn26/en/sujato
How could humans have lived 80 000 years in the past? And how could we live 10 years in the future, with people reaching sexual maturity at five, when life ...
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2answers
65 views
How can we correlate Buddhist cosmology with astronomical cosmology?
How can we correlate Buddhist cosmology with astronomical cosmology? Basically I have following questions.
Moon is considered 51 yojan in height and 50 is the sun. Sun is self illuminated and heat is ...
2
votes
3answers
130 views
The Practice of Giving: How to Practice Giving “Thusly”?
In the Diamond Sutra (or Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra) Buddha says to Subhuti:
a Bodhisattva should not dwell anywhere when he gives. He should not dwell in forms when he gives, nor should he dwell ...
2
votes
4answers
109 views
Are monks expected to accept life lessons from (time spent with) the laity?
In general, the monks are expected to preach the Dhamma and the laity should listen. But "behind the scenes", so to say, should monks really be learning from at least some situations they run into ...
4
votes
4answers
336 views
What are other peoples minds according to the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra?
I read that everything is just my own mind from the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra. If everything is my own mind, what about other peoples minds? Are they also my own mind? How can this be understood?
For ...
0
votes
1answer
93 views
What is bhramcharya or 3rd percept? [duplicate]
Is it only pertaining to "no adultery" for layman or as "no sex" for monk?
If such is the case, why in ganika sutta it was mentioned as "path middle to celibacy and adultery" for ganika(female ...
0
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3answers
3k views
If Buddha had unconditional love, why did he “kill” some of his monks?
I recall there is a sutta where the Buddha said he "kills" some monks, that is, completely ignores them or something similar.
Is this contrary to metta (unconditonal love)?
3
votes
2answers
55 views
Are there suttas that recommend a specific order of the buddhist practices?
Every now and then i see claims that a particular practice of the noble eightfold path (or alternatively, the threefold division) builds on a specific preceding practice.
Two examples of claims (...
0
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4answers
185 views
What could be some teachings that Buddha has not revealed to us?
In Maha-parinibbana Sutta Buddha has said:
"there is nothing, Ananda, with regard to the teachings that the Tathagata holds to the last with the closed fist of a teacher who keeps some things back."
...
3
votes
5answers
175 views
Soul that transmigrates?
In Timsa Sutta Buddha says:
"What do you think, monks? Which is greater, the blood you have shed from having your heads cut off while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time, or the water ...
2
votes
1answer
48 views
Who was the King Okkāka mentioned in Sutta Nipāta?
I have come across the following verse from Sutta Nipāta (verse 305 - P.104) mentioned by Buddha.
Then they composed some Vedic hymns and went chanting to Okkāka king:
“Great your wealth and ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
What are the Wikipedia Pages for these Kangyur titles
Not knowing Tibetan or having access to a wide array of sources, I am using the (Tibetan script) Kangyur from these. The table of contents is here pretty much. After converting their Excel file to a ...
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1answer
47 views
The World • It Disintegrates
Friends, I am looking for a sutta from the Pali Canon wherein the Buddha, expounding the nature of the world, goes somewhat like this :
And what is the world ? That which disintegrates is the ...
2
votes
2answers
128 views
Question about the Samādhirāja-sūtra
I have a similar question about the Samādhirāja-sūtra.
Is the Samādhirāja-sūtra, a mahAyAnA sUtra or does it occur in the nikAyas or somewhere else? What is the historically accepted date of this ...
2
votes
1answer
90 views
Question about the Pitāpūtrasamāgama-sūtra
Is the pitāpūtrasamāgama-sūtra, a Mahayana sutra or does it occur in the nikayas or somewhere else? What is the historically accepted date of this sutra? Does this sutra precede Nagarjuna or is it a ...
1
vote
2answers
73 views
Literal translation of Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra
What is the literal meaning of Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra. Everywhere I read it says "The Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines", but that is not a literal translation as far as I can tell. What ...
1
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2answers
58 views
Is regret worth?
Today I regret for a sparrow was wandering around running ceiling fan.
Even I had noticed and think to turn it off but I forget.
I don't care if it was my bad karma which is not important than ...
2
votes
3answers
110 views
A question regarding Buddhist world view and sense organs and their objects
I have recently started reading about Buddhism and I wonder what the world view of Buddhism is -- is it the world view that there is not one world as we think, and instead we each have our own world? ...
2
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2answers
93 views
How can the sixth channel of dhatus be understood?
Could someone help clarifying the sixth channel of the eighteen dhatus - that is - the mental objects (dharma-dhatu), the mental faculty (mano-dhatu) and the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna-dhatu)...
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2answers
131 views
How to interpret “cessation”?
Throughout the suttas, we find the following stock passage:
"Now from the remainderless fading & cessation of that very ignorance comes the cessation of fabrications. From the cessation of ...
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3answers
138 views
To reach 1st jhana, do we have to let go, or do we have to put some effort?
Recently, I've been reading a lot about the different methods and perspectives for reaching the jhanas.
For a long time, the only method I've been using is to "let go" everything, and to use the ...
3
votes
4answers
1k views
Did the Buddha ever refute the view of “extreme metaphysical nihilism” e.g. a view that “nothing is real”?
Important note: I am only using the word "real" only in the sense of meaning "exists and is not an illusion".
I am defining "extreme metaphysical nihilism" as the belief that "nothing is real".
I ...
0
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4answers
95 views
SN 22.62: What is meant by “scope of language”?
What is the message of this sutta?
At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, there are these three scopes of language, terminology,
and descriptions. They’re uncorrupted, as they have been since the
...
3
votes
2answers
90 views
The World and Five Aggregates of Clinging
As I've heard, the "world" referred by Buddha (mentioned in the Loka Sutta and in Samyutta Nikaya - 4 -> LokaSamudaya Sutta) is the same as "Five Aggregates of Clinging" (Five-Updana-Skandas).
That's ...
1
vote
3answers
100 views
How & why can sexual intentions be harmful to others?
MN 19 says:
And as I remained thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, thinking imbued
with sensuality arose in me. I discerned that 'Thinking imbued with
sensuality has arisen in me; and that ...
4
votes
3answers
112 views
In which suttas does The Buddha cover annihilationism (ucchedavāda)?
Given what I assume was the predominant view of the time, I would not be surprised if there are many Suttas that deal explicitly with resurrection (as opposed to rebirth which seems to be a more ...
4
votes
7answers
266 views
Is there a real difference between “not-self” and “no self”, and if so, which one is correct?
Just in case someone is interested, this is a question based on this thread, but it's not necessary to read such discussion to understand and answer this question.
I'd like to know about the ...
5
votes
4answers
152 views
Does any sutta talk about the right conditions for teaching the Dhamma?
I've read in other posts (such as this one) about the right way to teach the Dhamma.
But is there a way to know about the "when", i.e. when to reach out someone else to teach the Dhamma?
In specific,...
3
votes
2answers
105 views
Majjhima Nikaya 152 Indriyabhāvana Sutta
In this sutta, the Buddha teaches how different people should approach sense-restraint. Here, the enlightened ones can perceive objects in a different light (positively, negatively or dwelling in ...
1
vote
1answer
130 views
Is there really a story in the Pali Canon about a layman running away from home AFTER having attained arahantship?
Today I stumbled upon a thread on Reddit. Deep down in the comments, I saw someone make the following claim:
My personal opinion is probably they [lay arahants] will run away from society and die ...
1
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4answers
87 views
Reference for the teaching of not-self
I have heard in the past a kind of argument to show that there is no self along the lines of: are you your body? No, your cells regenerate all the time. Are you your emotions? No, they come and go. ...
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6answers
2k views
Is it possible for absolutely everyone to attain enlightenment?
As seen in the title of this question, I'm not sure whether everyone is able to attain enlightenment.
As far as my study and introspective analysis have shown to me, it seems that in order to uproot ...
1
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4answers
109 views
Which sutras are most directly relevant to the virtue of courage?
If I want to read through the origins of western (really, Greek) thought about the virtue we generally call courage, I know exactly where to go: Laches, Republic, Nicomachean Ethics, etc. Meanwhile, ...
2
votes
2answers
34 views
Sutta request: dedication of offerings in another ones name
This is a request for sutta references.
I'd like to know the sutta's that describe how one can dedicate offerings in the name of a dearly departed one so that (s)he can, hopefully, have a better ...
6
votes
3answers
115 views
What is meant by “No limiting action remains there”? MN 99
In the discourse on the four Divine Abodes, what is meant by "... no limiting action remains there, none persists there."
Here a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with
...
0
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3answers
72 views
Is divination for fun acceptable?
I recently read an answer on here referencing a sutra that states "animal arts" such as performing any form of divination constitutes wrong livelihood which should be abstained from. What I'm ...
1
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1answer
47 views
Sutta references
I have read a sutta where the Buddha says that there are elements from other religions in his dharma and certain elements from his dharma in other religions as well.
I'm looking for that sutta.
2
votes
3answers
252 views
What's the relation between feelings of neither-pleasure-nor-pain and ignorance?
I often see in some suttas that there are some habitual tendencies that, after the arising of pleasent feeling or painful feelings, lead to suffering due to passion for the pleasure and aversion for ...
3
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5answers
370 views
Comparing Chinese Agama the ? Bundles of Reeds Simile with Pali Nalakalapiyo Sutta
In commenting a post, I have just been introduced to the "two bundles of reeds leaning up against each other" Sutta. The comments have just been moved to chat and I hope it would be kept for awhile ...
