The Suttas
The Sutta Piṭaka is the second part of the Pāli Canon, containing the core dhamma teachings. It is the Theravada School’s parallel to the Āgama collection preserved in China, and contains the most accurate and complete record of the historical Buddha’s teachings extant today.
It is divided into four main Nikāyas — the Dīgha (long), Majjhima (middle-length), Saṁyutta (connected), and Aṅguttara (numbered) — along with a fifth nikāya (the Khuddaka) which contains miscellaneous poems and rebirth stories.
Courtesy of Ajahn Sucitto
Table of Contents
- Articles (5)
- Audio/Video (2)
- Booklets (9)
- Canonical Works (9)
- Essays (7)
- Excerpts (1)
- Monographs (6)
- Reference Shelf (9)
- Subtopics (4)
Articles (5)
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the criteria for the categorisation of three types of sutta: Sermons, Debates, and Consultations.
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In the Nettipakarana there is a three-fold definition of a sutta which may be useful to consider and may help one think more deeply about these sayings.
Audio/Video (2)
Booklets (9)
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🥇 Best Of The Library
A Creative Commons licensed selection of suttas from Wisdom’s celebrated translation, representing about a third of the full book.
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⭐ Recommended
The world is led by craving,
By craving it is defiled,
And craving is that one thing
Controlled by which all follow. -
Who, concentrated, leaves conceits behind,
His heart and mind set fair, and wholly freed,
Heedful dwelling in the woods alone,
Shall indeed escape the realm of death.
Canonical Works (9)
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One to whom it might occur,
’I’m a woman’ or ’I’m a man’
Or ’I’m anything at all’–
Is fit for Māra to address.
Essays (7)
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⭐ Recommended
A good sutta is one that inspires you to stop reading it.
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Bhikkhu Sujato’s general introduction to the Saṁyutta Nikāya.
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Bhikkhu Sujato’s general introduction to the Dīgha Nikāya.
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Bhikkhu Sujato’s general introduction to the Majjhima Nikāya.
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Bhikkhu Sujato’s general introduction to the Aṅguttara Nikāya.
Excerpts (1)
Monographs (6)
Reference Shelf (9)
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Four handouts giving an overview of the four primary nikayas (books) of the Sutta Pitaka, including calling out a smattering of individual suttas you may want to read to get a general idea of their contents.
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A large but still highly incomplete and occasionally buggy index of the suttas, this list is still helpful as a starting point for researching what the suttas have to say about a given topic.
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⭐ Recommended
If you are looking to dive into the suttas, there are many good pointers and valuable resources to be found on this blog.