Dictionary Definition
sutra n : a rule or aphorism in Sanskrit
literature or a group of aphoristic doctrinal summaries prepared
for memorization
User Contributed Dictionary
Etymology
From sc=Deva. Cognate with English suturePronunciation
- /ˈsuːtrə/
Noun
- A rule or thesis in Sanskrit grammar or Hindu law or philosophy.
- A scriptural narrative, especially a discourse of the Buddha.
Translations
a rule or thesis in Sanskrit grammar or Hindu
law or philosophy
- German: Sutra
- Norwegian: sutra
a scriptural narrative
- German: Sutra
- Hungarian: szútra
- Norwegian: sutra
Bosnian
Adverb
sutraCroatian
Adverb
sutraLojban
Root
sutra- to be fast; x1 is fast/swift/quick/hastes at doing/being/bringing about x2
Norwegian
Etymology 1
From sc=Deva.Noun
Etymology 2
- see sutre
Verb
sutra- Form of past tense, sutre
Serbian
Adverb
sutraCyrillic spelling
Extensive Definition
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 and
"suture", all derive from PIE
*syū-).
In Hinduism the
'sutra' is a distinct type of literary composition, based on short
aphoristic statements,
generally using various technical terms. The literary form of the
sutra was designed for concision, as the texts were intended to be
memorized by students in some of the formal methods of scriptural
study (Sanskrit: ).
Since each line is highly condensed, another literary form arose in
which commentaries (Sanskrit: ) on the sutras were added, to
clarify and explain them..
In Buddhism, the term
"sutra" refers mostly 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 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,
those of the Pali
Canon.
Sutras primarily associated with Hinduism
- See: Kama Sutra.
- Shiksha (phonetics)
- Chandas (metrics)
- Vyakarana
(grammar)
- Ashtadhyayi (Panini), discussing grammar
- Nirukta (etymology)
- Jyotisha (astrology)
- Kalpa
(ritual)
- Srauta Sutras, performance of sacrifices
- Smarta
Sutras
- Grhya Sutras, covering domestic life
- Samayacarika or Dharma
Sutras
- 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
Other Sutras
Associated with Christianity
- See: Jesus Sutras (related to Nestorianism in China )
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)
- Suttas read aloud
sutra in Catalan: Sūtra
sutra in Welsh: Sutra
sutra in German: Sutra
sutra in Spanish: Sutra
sutra in Esperanto: Sutro
sutra in French: Sûtra
sutra in Korean: 수트라
sutra in Hindi: सूत्र
sutra in Italian: Sutra
sutra in Dutch: Soetra
sutra in Japanese: 経典
sutra in Polish: Sutra
sutra in Portuguese: Sutra
sutra in Russian: Сутра
sutra in Sanskrit: सूत्र
sutra in Slovak: Sútra
sutra in Serbian: Сутра
sutra in Swedish: Sutra
sutra in Vietnamese: Kinh (Phật giáo)
sutra in Turkish: Sutra
sutra in Chinese: 经藏
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
adage,
ana, analects, aphorism, apothegm, axiom, byword, catchword, collected sayings,
current saying, dictate,
dictum, distich, epigram, expression, gnome, golden saying, maxim, moral, mot, motto, oracle, phrase, pithy saying, precept, prescript, proverb, proverbial saying,
proverbs, saw, saying, sentence, sententious
expression, sloka, stock
saying, teaching,
text, verse, wisdom, wisdom literature, wise
saying, witticism,
word, words of
wisdom