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'Sūtra' (Sanskrit, Devanagari सूत्र) 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 Latin ''suere'' and English ''to sew'', 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 經 (pinyin: ''jīng''). 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. Some scholars consider that the Buddhist use of sutra is a mis-Sanskritization of sutta, and that the latter represented Sanskrit sūkta (well spoken).
The Pali form of the word, 'sutta' is used exclusively to refer to Buddhist scriptures, particularly those of the Pali Canon.

Contents

List

Sutras primarily associated with Hinduism

Sutras primarily associated with Buddhism

See also

References

External links

List

Below are some sutras listed under the broad categories of Hinduism, Buddhism and Other.

Sutras primarily associated with Hinduism

Vedanga

★ Shiksha (phonetics)

★ Chandas (metrics)

★ Vyakarana (grammar)

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★ Ashtadhyayi (Panini), discussing grammar

★ Nirukta (etymology)

★ Jyotisha (astrology)

★ Kalpa (ritual)

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★ Srauta Sutras, performance of sacrifices

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★ Smarta Sutras

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★ Grhya Sutras, covering domestic life

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★ Samayacarika or Dharma Sutras

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★ Sulba Sutras, architecture of sacrificial area

Hindu philosophy

★ Yoga Sutras

★ Nyaya Sutras

★ Vaisheshika Sutras

★ Purva Mimamsa Sutras

★ Brahma Sutras (or Vedanta Sutra) (Badarayana)

Sutras primarily associated with Buddhism

See: Buddhist texts

See also

★ Smriti

★ Chinese Buddhist canon

★ Tibetan Buddhist canon

References

★ Monier-Williams, Monier. (1899) ''A Sanskrit-English Dictionary''. Delhi:Motilal Banarsidass. p. 1241

External links

★ Buddhist Scriptures in Multiple Languages

★ Chinese repository of Buddhist Sutras translated into English. Also has other texts.

★ Mahayana Buddhist Sutras in English

★ More Mahayana Sutras

★ The Hindu Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, and Vedanta Sacred-texts.com

★ A Modern Sutra

★ Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon

★ Pali Suttas at Access to Insight

★ Ida B. Wells Memorial Sutra Lirary (Pali Suttas)