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.

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Are you familiar with a particular AN or SN sutta on bowing?

There is a sutta AN or SN, I believe, I read months ago that discussed about a kingsman who wanted to give respect to the Buddha by bowing but couldn't because he would lose a good job, family, and ...
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what is Mahaggataṃ citam? is it related to out of body experience?

the typical translation of Mahaggataṃ citam is , exalted , or expanded mind? and in MN 127...two types of cetovimutti described. (1)mahaggatā cetovimutti (expanded freedom of mind) it related to ...
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Quotes from the Buddha about sexual desire

I am trying to find sources of info of if the Buddha ever explained any reason why we as humans are afflicted by sexual desire. Conventionally we are animals so are innately afflicted with a ...
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Referencing MN 121, how to focus on the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of infinite space?

Referencing MN 121 '...focuses on the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of infinite space...' As I understand the perception of the dimension of space is the experience inside ...
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Sutta Opening Verse

I have noticed most Sutta (Mahayana) have this opening verse. What is the story behind of it? Is all Sutta have this opening verse? Is that compulsory having it, say if it's for Mahayana?
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Buddhist's teaching on grief?

💚Was there any wisdom, any words of clarity about how to handle grief in the Buddhist scriptures or in a good teacher's interpretation? Is grief a unique mind state? Is it lobha based?
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Kalama Sutta only about Kilesas?

I found an explanation of Kalama Sutta in a website which is said to be from a Tipitaka teacher in Sri Lanka. Is Kalama Sutta only about Kilesas? Kālāma sutta is only to be applied for Lobha-dosa-...
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Why didn't the Buddha mention about the omniscience of "future of other beings", in suttas?

In many suttas, the Buddha affirms his omniscience about the past of all the beings. Why didn't the Buddha say something about his omniscience about the future of all the beings, in suttas?
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Can someone help me find where these suttas are from in the Tipitaka?

First text screenshot says MLD. 131. Where is that from? Second text screenshot says M. 19. Where is that from? Screenshots are taken from Ven. Dhammajivas book called Mahasi Insight Meditation.
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Sutta request: One should be fed before being able to listen to a Dhamma talk

The following quote can be found at this link: On the farmer's arrival the Buddha ordered that some food should be given him, and when the man was comforted and his mind was ready the Buddha preached ...
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Find Sutta: eat first before hearing the teaching

Trying to find the Sutta where Buddha says for some person who has come to hear him teaching something like give him to eat first, and then he can hear my teaching. There was some setup I dont ...
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Is Krishna a demon?

I've read in several articles that the Lalitavistara identifies Krishna as leader of the "black demons" and is an enemy of the Buddha. I've only been able to check the 84000 translation from ...
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Looking for a quote, sutta or teaching about suffering not decreasing with succedent stages of enlightenment

I have heard about this before from a video teaching I watched before but I honestly cannot remember from who or where. The idea of the concept is that as one progresses upon the stages towards arhant ...
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Is the Buddha advocating delighting in sensuality in SN 42.12?

There are a few questions I have about this Sutta (SN 42.12 Rasiya Sutta) based on the following passages: They make themselves happy and pleased. This is the second ground for praise. They don’t ...
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Where is the sutra source of Buddha[s] (plural) existing and blessing peoples minds?

Tibetan/Mahayana Buddhists believe in such a thing, that somehow specific Buddhas exist....somewhere and emanate in forms in the world and are able to bless other peoples minds. My question is where ...
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What's the role of "conceit" in the Dhamma?

I read the following on the internet: Some rules assume the conceit, "I am". Importantly, Buddhist rules do not. For example, take the first three rules of MN8: MN8:12.2: ‘Others will be ...
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What's the role of "blameless" in the Dhamma?

The word "blameless" is often used in suttas: https://www.google.com/search?q=blameless%20site%3Aaccesstoinsight.org AN 4.62 suggests it's highly good: Seeing clearly — the wise one — he ...
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Where did the Buddha teach about the "flow of tears"?

Bhikkhu Sujato's translation of SN 15.3: As we understand the Buddha’s teaching, the flow of tears we’ve shed while roaming and transmigrating is more than the water in the four oceans. Where else ...
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Why is Chapter 15 of the SN not 'Eternalism'?

Saṁyutta Nikāya (SN) 15.3 when translated by Ven. Sujato says: Transmigration (samsara) has no known beginning. No first point is found of sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, hindered by ...
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Mercy killing (not assisted suicide) and the ramifications of the karmic action

Of course one of the 4 imponderables is the results of karma. I am just asking if there is any sutta explanation on the effect of killing with malice compared to mercy killing? Difference between ...
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Looking for sutta about purification of fish, turtles, etc

Is there are sutta in which the Buddha says if bathing in Ganges River could purify beings; then the fish, turtles, crocodiles, etc, would be purified?
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Which sutta(s) say that Rahula was the Buddha's son?

I have seen some suttas where the Buddha addressed Rahula. Are there suttas which explicitly state that Rahula was the Buddha's son, or does this come from the commentary?
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Can a layperson/householder live the 'Holy Life'?

I read the following (here) on the internet: Not able to take on the Jīva (stand/robe of the Arahats, eg. right view, leaving home), what should/can a house/stand-maintainer expect to validate holy ...
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SN 12.35- why is there no living the holy life?

SN 12.35 says: “Not a valid question,” the Blessed One replied. “Bhikkhu, whether one says, ‘What now is aging-and-death, and for whom is there this aging-and-death?’ or whether one says, ‘Aging-and-...
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SN 12.35: why do both phrases have the same meaning?

SN 12.35 says: “Not a valid question,” the Blessed One replied. “Bhikkhu, whether one says, ‘What now is aging-and-death, and for whom is there this aging-and-death?’ or whether one says, ‘Aging-and-...
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Why is "jīva" translated as "soul"?

SN 12.35 is translated by Bhikkhus Sujato, Bodhi & Thanissaro as follows: Mendicant, if you have the view that the soul and the body are the same thing, there is no living of the spiritual life. ...
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What is MN 116 ( paccekabuddha sutta) about?

MN 26 describes the Buddha after his awakening, as follows: If I were to teach the Dhamma, others would not understand me, and that would be wearying and troublesome for me.’ Thereupon there came to ...
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Need a list of all the people in Buddhas life

I need a list of all the people mentioned in the Pali canon who were in the story of the historic Gautama the Buddha. For e.g. Angulimal, Ananda etc. I did a google search for the same but did not ...
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What are those "deck of cards" objects that various sutras are printed on?

I used to go to a Tibetan Buddhist community where they were constantly reading Buddhist scriptures off of little stacks of cards. They were wide aspect ratio, and had the syllables of various mantras ...
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Sutras are in which Tripitaka

I have one query. All the Sutra's ( lotus Sutra, heart Sutra) belongs to which Tripitaka (first second or third)?
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What is the reference for taming a ferocious bathhouse Naga into a tiny snake in a bowl?

I remember Ajahn Punnadhammo telling a story about maybe the Buddha or Moggallana taming a ferocious bathhouse Naga and emerging from the bathhouse displaying that it was now a small snake in a bowl. ...
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What is meant by "claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies" and was an actual loud lion-like sound ever uttered by the Buddha?

What is meant by "claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies" and was an actual loud lion-like sound ever uttered by the Buddha? One example of the quote is mentioned ...
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Is there a difference between Sanskrit during the time of the Buddha vs Sanskrit during the time of Nagarjuna?

I'm trying to understand if Sanksrit during 500 BCE to 1 CE is the same Sanskrit of 1 CE to 500 CE.
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How to understand this teaching: "Whenever others treat me badly, may I accept this defeat myself and offer the victory to others"

Below is one of the verses from the "Eight Verses for Training the Mind" by Geshe Langri Tangpa Whenever others, because of their jealousy, treat me badly with abuse, insult, slander, or in ...
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Where does the Buddha talk about investigation of energy (offering him some relief while in physical pain)?

If remembering correctly I once heard a Dhamma talk about the Buddha finding solace in/with the investigation of energy while (at least once) experiencing physical pain. What's the sutta reference(s) ...
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What are the sutta references for the Buddha unsuccessfully attempting to stop wars/battles?

I remember hearing that on one, two, or maybe more occasions the Buddha attempted pretty much unsuccessfully to intervene in war or battle. Maybe one had to do with fighting over water rights. I also ...
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Where are the most common places to find Pali/Buddhism Anki decks in 2021?

Anki, is by far the most popular "spaced repetition tool" to enable long term retention of learned material in 2021. It does so using a scheduling algorithm which prompts the user to recall ...
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Why did the Buddha contradict about His teachings in these two different suttas?

In the Simsapa Sutta the Buddha said; "In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct knowledge but have not taught are far more numerous [than what I have taught]. I would ...
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Are there differences in the way Buddhism and Theism treats scripture?

Historically, Buddha rejected the validity of the Vedas, I suspect there might be some differences in the way scripture is treated in Buddhism and other religions, especially Theistic ones. For for ...
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What do the (Pali) suttas say about "sacrifice" in general (and why it's not necessary)?

Requesting sutta references mentioning "sacrifice" along with pali words commonly (and uncommonly) translated as "sacrifice" along with thoughts and commentary please
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What is the (commentary) source for Buddha's daily schedule?

What is the (commentary) source for Buddha's five-part daily schedule, as mentioned at The Buddha's Daily Routine (Buddhanet) and A Day in the Life of the Buddha (YouTube video, Bhikkhu Bodhi).
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Can Abhidhamma be reconciled with Sutta? Citta & vinnana

This question could comprise of many examples but here I will choose one and only four aspects of this one example. The Abhidhamma says: Rūpakkhandho anārammaṇo. 530.2Cattāro khandhā sārammaṇā. 530....
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Was Sariputta alive during the time of Buddha's death?

I have found two Suttas and I am a bit confused about Sariputta's death. In DN 16, there is a part about Sariputta being alive at the time of Buddha's death. (look at 4. Sāriputta’s Lion’s Roar in DN ...
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Were monastic training texts written down during the Buddha's life?

It seems a commonly held notion that the actual written text of Buddhadharma were only recorded well after the life of the Buddha. However, this sutta seems to indicate that was not so: "Take a ...
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About the Upasakasila Sutta and LGBT

Is the upasakasila sutta based on the Tipitaka (Pali Canon) or is it based on the Mahayana teachings? Also, I understand that Buddhism doesn't condemn LGBT, but in the Upasakasila Sutta, it is written:...
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Searching for a sutta where Buddha talks about Nibbana

I am searching for sutta where Buddha talks about Nibbana. Also, there is one sutta where he says, "ah nothingness, great is this nothingness..." or something and his disciple replies, "...
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Why did the Buddha not answer Vacchagotta (SN 44.10), but did answer the monks (MN 140)?

It has been said that the reason the Buddha did not answer Vacchagotta was because the discussion was not about the doctrine & terminology of the Buddha, but rather about the illogical doctrine of ...
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What did the Buddha mean in MN 140 about what happened to clansman Pukkusāti after a cow killed him?

Bhikkhu, ‘I am’ is a conceiving; ‘I am this’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall not be’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be possessed of form’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be formless’ is a ...
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Sankhara on a wave, a wood, and a rock?

Purpose: I want to know which sutta is this story coming from. Background: I remember that when I joined the 10-day Vipassana course held by S.N.Goenka, he said, You can carve your Sankhara like an ...
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Are there any Buddhist suttas in the scriptures about retaining memory?

As I understand, the early Buddhist teachings were transmitted orally and memorized by monks and they were written down only much later. It must have been tremendous feet of human memory to retain so ...

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