Sūtra
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Sūtra (Sanskrit: सूत्र sūtra, Devanagari: सूत्र, Pāli: sutta), literally means a thread or line 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 ultimately deriving from PIE *siH-/syuH- 'to sew').
In Hinduism sutra denotes a distinct type of literary composition, based on short aphoristic statements, generally using various technical terms. This literary form was designed for concision, as the texts were intended to be memorized by students in some of the formal methods of scriptural and scientific study (Sanskrit: svādhyāya). Since each line is highly condensed, another literary form arose in which commentaries (Sanskrit: bhāṣya) on the sutras were added, to clarify and explain them.[1].
In Brahmin lineage, each family is supposed to have one Gotra, and one Sutra, meaning that a certain Veda (Śruti) is treasured by this family in way of learning by heart.
One of the most famous definitions of a sutra in Indian literature is itself a sutra and comes from the Vayu Purana:
alpākṣaraṃ asandigdhaṃ sāravad viśvatomukham
astobhaṃ anavadyaṃ ca sūtram sūtravido viduḥ
Of minimal syllabary, unambiguous, pithy, comprehensive,
continuous, and without flaw: who knows the sūtra knows it to be thus.
In Buddhism, the sutra refers mostly to canonical scriptures, many of which 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, which would also resolve as sutta in Pali. [2] It should also be considered that the early Buddhist sutras do not present the aphoristic, nearly cryptic nature of the Hindu sutras, [3] even though they also have been designed for mnemonic purposes in an oral tradition.
The Pali form of the word, sutta is used exclusively to refer to the scriptures of the early Pali Canon, the only texts recognized by Theravada Buddhism as canonical.
Contents |
[edit] Sutras primarily associated with Hinduism
[edit] Vedanga
- Shiksha (phonetics)
- Chandas (metrics)
- Vyakarana (grammar)
- Ashtadhyayi (Pāṇini), 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
[edit] Hindu philosophy
- Yoga Sutras
- Nyaya Sutras
- Vaisheshika Sutra
- Purva Mimamsa Sutras
- Brahma Sutras (or Vedanta Sutra) (Badarayana)
[edit] Sutras primarily associated with Buddhism
[edit] Other sutras
Associated with Christianity
- See: Jesus Sutras (related to Nestorianism in China )
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ For discussion of the literary form for sūtras, their terse nature as a summary of ideas for memorization, and the rise of the commentorial literary form as an adjunct to sūtras, see: Tubb & Boose 2007, pp. 1-2
- ^ K. R. Norman: A philological approach to Buddhism: the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai Lectures 1994. (Buddhist Forum, Vol. v.) xx, 193 pp. London: School of Oriental and African Studies, 1997. p.104
- ^ See: Jayarava's Raves,Philological odds and ends IRetrieved on 2010-08-21
[edit] References
- Arthur Anthony Macdonell (1900). "The sūtras". A History of Sanskrit Literature. New York: D. Appleton and company.
- Monier-Williams, Monier. (1899) A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Delhi:Motilal Banarsidass. p. 1241
- Tubb, Gary A.; Boose, Emery R. (2007). Scholastic Sanskrit: A Handbook for Students. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-9753734-7-7.
[edit] 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
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