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 there other things like life?

In this text SN 56.46 Andhakara Sutta: Darkness, the Buddha seems to say, in my opinion, that life is much more stressful than black holes. And I think life is an anomaly in this universe just like ...
Kuzan's user avatar
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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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Does mind ever stop?

I have learned..... When a receptor (eyes,ears,nose,tongue,body,mind) meet with the preferred input (light,sound,smell,taste,touch,thoughts) if the dedicated "Vinyana" is born to accept it the being ...
Theravada's user avatar
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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 ...
Dhamma Dhatu's user avatar
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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 ...
user17389's user avatar
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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 ...
Dhamma Dhatu's user avatar
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What did the Buddha mean in AN 5.38 with the fifth benefit to a person of faith?

What did the Buddha mean in AN 5.38. when he said: “Mendicants, a faithful gentleman gets five benefits. What five? The good persons in the world show compassion first to the faithful, not so much to ...
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Among 9 jhanas which is deep sleep?

Please provide suttas I plan to do a meditation until I can achieve the same experience as my deep sleep but I don't know whether it's the first jhana or even cessation of feeling and perception or ...
user646989's user avatar
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4 answers
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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. ...
Frank's user avatar
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The Four Nutriments: what do the metaphors in SN 12.63 mean?

In the Puttamansa Sutta, the Four Nutriments ('ahara') of physical food, sense contact, intention & consciousness are discussed using four comparative similes ('metaphors'). The 1st simile of ...
Dhamma Dhatu's user avatar
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How are the importance of sutras determined?

I assume that there variations of sects within buddhism that deem certain sutras as more "correct" or being closer to the buddha's teaching. I personally see the Lotus sutra as the "true teaching", ...
Morella Almånd's user avatar
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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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In what sutta does the Buddha talk about Paccekabuddhas?

Question is in the title. Thank you for your time.
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How did this teleportation happen in DN 16?

In DN 16 it is written that: "Then the Buddha came to the Ganges River. Now at that time the Ganges was full to the brim so a crow could drink from it. Wanting to cross from the near to the far ...
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Why is Avalokiteśvara the "main character" of the Heart Sutra?

I'm a Zen practicant and, as you may know, we recite the Heart Sutra of the Perfect Wisdom a lot. I really like this sutra, it is very meaningful. However something I never understood is: why is the ...
Ergative Man's user avatar
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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?
Jbag1212's user avatar
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How to learn to trust one's fundamental goodness?

In this answer it says "Learning to trust one's fundamental goodness" is one of the way to practise seclusion. I want to understand what this means in context of the question on Rhinocerous ...
The White Cloud's user avatar
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6 answers
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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 ...
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Can good karma, bad karma or neither good and bad karma arise or not arise from not doing?

"Not doing" in this sense is to mean the absence of any form of action that originates from thought (for instance physical form like speech, bodily movements) in such a way that reduces the physical ...
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From which text is the quote by Buddha “My practice is the nonpractice, the attainment of nonattainment” taken?

I was reading an article on Tricycle written by Thich Nhat Hanh, in which he quotes Buddha as follows: “My practice is the nonpractice, the attainment of nonattainment.” From which text is this ...
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What are Gandhari Charm and Manika Charm told by Buddha?

In the Kevatta Sutta, Buddha is explaining to Kevatta why he doesn't use miraculous powers for his teaching. And while telling about psychic power he tells: Then the person without faith, ...
Tezz's user avatar
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sutta reference: forbidding to call the Buddha by name

I've heard that there are suttas where the Buddha forbade people to call him by his given name. Which suttas are these?
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Buddhas after Bhadra Kalpa

I have seen in certain books that there is gonna be a lot of buddha shunya kalpas after the bhadra kalpa. Also it has stated about names of 10 Buddhas after the Bhadra kalpa. Is there a sutra source ...
Akila Hettiarachchi's user avatar
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Are there any unique or special versions of meththa meditation?

I have heard Lord Buddha has taught a special version of meththa for certain kind of creatures. Can someone point reference to such a teaching in suttas?
Deva Mitta's user avatar
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Should we correct Buddhist wrong believes or respect it? [closed]

Allow me to give the exemple of meat eating for this question: In the suttas we can clearly see (many times) that eating meat is accepted in Buddhism under a few conditions. We cannot kill, ask ...
konrad01's user avatar
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What is the (middle length) sutta, where Buddha exposes a monk, who has an ignorant view of non-self?

In one sutta a monk was teaching, that there's something that is behind our existence, that is permanent (opposite of non-self). Buddha asked for this explicitely, got confirmed, and corrected the ...
arthur's user avatar
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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 ...
gooiditnietweg's user avatar
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1 answer
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Can you translate, from Pali, this sutta about Equanimity?

I have been trying to find out the meaning and nature of Equanimity or Upeksha. I came across this Sutta which says something about Equanimity but it is in Pali. Mahālomahaṃsacariya (Cp 35, i.e. ...
Dheeraj Verma's user avatar
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Happiness for laypeople

I'm right now working on an application for increasing happiness in everyday life, inspired by practical teachings in Buddhism about happiness for laypeople. My question is: What did the Buddha say ...
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Three types of Raaga

In the Cakkavatti Sihanaada Sutra it is mentioned about three types of raaga or unwholesome acts that people did at the lifespan of 500 years. It is named Adharma Raaga Visama Lobha Michcha Dharma ...
Akila Hettiarachchi's user avatar
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2 answers
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Reference request: three types of actions

I'm looking for a sutta in which the Buddha is recalling past lives, including, I believe, lives as the great Brahma, and asks himself on account of what actions he ascended to a position of such ...
Adamokkha's user avatar
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What is the Sanskrit root word for “ viññāṇa”?

In dependent origination , the word “ viññāṇa” arises and it is translated as consciousness. I am not satisfied and I guess some other members of this site are also not satisfied because then the ...
SacrificialEquation's user avatar
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1 answer
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Basic abridged suttas in English and only English for chanting along with TTS

I can't find concise suttas in English anywhere. I found them before Google and Bing changed so that you can't find anything. By basic I mean all the suttas that you would hear at a meditation retreat ...
Lowbrow's user avatar
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2 answers
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The sutta that describes how little suffering there is

I remember reading a sutta where the Buddha compares how much suffering there is, or grief or pain or whatever, as if it were a grain of sand, or a bit of dirt on the ground, compared to all the ...
yellow-saint's user avatar
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3 answers
120 views

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....
Dhamma Dhatu's user avatar
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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, "...
user17389's user avatar
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2 answers
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Is there a list of (all the) Suttas that mention supranormal powers?

I know there are the miracles of the historical Buddha and the Samannaphala Sutta, but is there a comprehensive list of Suttas that mention supranormal power(s)?
vimutti's user avatar
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Looking for sutta reference on entering into Jhana

Following are the stages Ajahn Brahm mentions in his book Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond, to enter in to Jhana. Present moment awareness Silent present moment awareness Silent present moment awareness ...
The White Cloud's user avatar
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2 answers
81 views

Sutta on which Buddha states the gravity of merits

What is the sutta where Buddha says about the order of merits as in for example "Observing the 5 precepts gives more merit than offering alms" and such.
ArbitraryChoices's user avatar
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3 answers
172 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 ...
Uralan's user avatar
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4 answers
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Does MN9 imply a cyclic causation? How does it work?

The Nanamoli and Bodhi translation of MN9 states in 2 excerpts: With the arising of the taints there is the arising of ignorance. With the cessation of the taints there is the cessation of ...
ruben2020's user avatar
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Sutta References on Future Monks

I have heard that the Buddha has told that in the future the monks will have a wife and kids, will wear no cloths except for a puuna nula and he would be engaging in hunting and etc. Where can I find ...
Akila Hettiarachchi's user avatar
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3 answers
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15 Un-written BrahmaLokas in Dhammacakkapavattana sutta

I was wondering about Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. All i know is that when buddha turned the dhamma wheel for the first time, all of the residents of Devalokas and The Rupa-Brahmalokas came and claps ...
LomX's user avatar
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2 answers
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Reference request: Can a king rule justly without killing?

I recall reading a sutta in which the Buddha rises from meditation and says that while he was meditating, it occurred to him: Is it possible for a king to rule righteously without killing? If anyone ...
Adamokkha's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
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Brahmas and Devas?

Are Brahmas and Devas the same thing in different levels or are they two entirely different beings. I am asking this because if see the first teaching of Lord Buddha (Dhamma chakka pawaththana) there ...
Theravada's user avatar
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3 answers
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What is "feature of beauty" in MN 5?

Questions: What is "feature of beauty" in MN 5? Why does the type of person mentioned ("the person who doesn’t have a blemish but does not understand it"), focus on it? And why ...
ruben2020's user avatar
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4 answers
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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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