sutra
Eastern wisdom collection
A sutra is a sacred text or scripture in Hinduism, Buddhism, or Jainism—often a collection of aphorisms or teachings.
The word comes from Sanskrit meaning "thread," suggesting teachings strung together.
In Buddhism, sutras record the Buddha's discourses: the Heart Sutra, the Lotus Sutra.
The Kama Sutra is the famous ancient Indian text on love and sexuality.
Sacred religious writings
- canonAccepted authoritative works
- PaliBuddhist scriptural language
- SanskritAncient Indo-Aryan language
- LotusBritish sports car manufacturer
Diamond · recitation · chanting · discourse · teaching · transmission · commentary · translation
Cosmic moral order
- enlightenmentProfound spiritual awakening
- nirvanaRelease from cyclical existence
- karmaSpiritual cause and effect
- samsaraCycle of rebirth
moksha · meditation · mantra · guru · samadhi · bodhi · sangha · Buddha
Terse general truth
- maximBrief moral principle
- preceptRule governing behavior
- axiomSelf-evident starting principle
- dictumAuthoritative formal statement
terse · concise · condensed · pithy · formulaic · mnemonic · rule · principle
Original text before publication
- palm-leafBlade from tropical tree
- scrollWound document of parchment
- copyingReproducing something exactly
- transmissionSending of information
recension · variant · oral · written · Pali · Sanskrit · Chinese · Tibetan
Fiber for stitching
- stringingPassing through sequentially
- weavingInterlacing strands into fabric
- connectionA joining or relation
- continuityUninterrupted progression or coherence
linking · binding · holding · unifying · filament · strand · stitching · joining
Yoga body position
- pranayamaYogic breath control technique
- samadhiProfound meditative absorption state
- yogicOf meditative practice
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
practice · limbs · posture · breath · concentration · withdrawal · restraint
scripture
Sacred religious writings
- canonAccepted authoritative works
- PaliBuddhist scriptural language
- SanskritAncient Indo-Aryan language
Lotus · Diamond · recitation · chanting · discourse · teaching · transmission · commentary · translation · verses
dharma
Cosmic moral order
- enlightenmentProfound spiritual awakening
- nirvanaRelease from cyclical existence
- karmaSpiritual cause and effect
samsara · moksha · meditation · mantra · guru · samadhi · bodhi · sangha · Buddha · bodhisattva
aphorism
Terse general truth
dictum · terse · concise · condensed · pithy · formulaic · mnemonic · rule · principle · instruction
manuscript
Original text before publication
- palm-leafBlade from tropical tree
- scrollWound document of parchment
- copyingReproducing something exactly
transmission · recension · variant · oral · written · Pali · Sanskrit · Chinese · Tibetan · translation
thread
Fiber for stitching
- stringingPassing through sequentially
- weavingInterlacing strands into fabric
- connectionA joining or relation
continuity · linking · binding · holding · unifying · filament · strand · stitching · joining · tying
asana
Yoga body position
- pranayamaYogic breath control technique
- samadhiProfound meditative absorption state
- yogicOf meditative practice
discipline · practice · limbs · posture · breath · concentration · withdrawal · restraint
- Buddhist termssamsara, bodhi, vipassana, dana, samadhi
- Buddhist scripturesAbhidhamma Pitaka, Buddhist texts, Buddhist scriptures, Buddhist teachings, canonical works
- religionChristianity, Islam, beliefs, Judaism, Hinduism
- Asian loanwordsanime, sushi, karate, ninja, tsunami
- meditationbreathing meditation, breath, breath meditation, mantra, breathing
- sayingssayings, saying, proverb, proverbs, adage
sutraepic
Impressively grand in scope
commentary · hymn · psalm · mantra · saga
sutrascientific paper
Published academic findings
empirical study · hypothesis · theorem · proof · treatise
- Kama SutraSanskrit treatise on erotic love
- coronal sutureSkull joint crossing crown
- suture kitTools for closing wounds
- lambdoid sutureRear skull junction
- suture removalTaking out wound closures
- suture needleTool for closing incisions