I’m trying to read more of the original texts from Buddhism and Hinduism. It’s hard to find a resource that makes this easy to view. Here’s my list.
The word “sutra” is derived from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-European language used in India. The term “sutra” (sūtra) is composed of two Sanskrit words: “su” (good, excellent, or well) and “tra” (thread, string or a means of connection).
The Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama, was born in the ancient town of Lumbini, which is located in the modern-day country of Nepal, near the border with India. At the time of the Buddha’s birth, Lumbini was part of the Shakya kingdom, whose rulers were the Buddha’s family. Most scholars agree that the Buddha was born in the 5th century BCE (between 563 and 480 BCE) and died at the age of 80, which would put his death around the year 400 BCE.
Lumbini is located in the foothills of the Himalayas, about 22 kilometers west of the city of Bhairahawa in Nepal.
The Buddha spent many years traveling and studying with various spiritual teachers before eventually finding his own path to enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India.
| Text | Description | Language | Date |
| Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (The Turning of the Wheel of Dharma Sutra) | A discourse given by the Buddha to a group of five ascetics in the Deer Park in Sarnath, India, shortly after he attained enlightenment. The sutra explains the Four Noble Truths, which provide a framework for understanding the nature of suffering and how to overcome it. | Pali | 5th century BCE |
| Dhammapada | A collection of verses attributed to the Buddha, focusing on the ethical and practical aspects of his teachings. | Pali | 3rd century BCE |
| Lotus Sutra | One of the most important Mahayana texts, emphasizes the idea that all beings have the potential for enlightenment, regardless of their status or background. | Sanskrit | 1st-3rd century CE |
| Heart Sutra | A concise but profound text that summarizes the essence of the Prajnaparamita teachings, which emphasize the emptiness (shunyata) of all phenomena. | Sanskrit | 2nd century CE |
| Shurangama Sutra | A text that presents the Buddha’s teachings on morality and meditation, and emphasizes the importance of overcoming obstacles and distractions. | Sanskrit | 2nd century CE |
| Diamond Sutra | An important text in the Prajnaparamita literature, teaches the concept of “emptiness” and the transience of all phenomena. | Sanskrit | 5th century CE |
| Lankavatara Sutra | A text that emphasizes the idea of “mind-only” (cittamatra), which teaches that all phenomena are projections of the mind. | Sanskrit | 4th-5th century CE |
| Avatamsaka Sutra | A long and complex text that presents a comprehensive view of the universe, depicting everything as interconnected and interpenetrating. | Sanskrit | 4th-8th century CE |
| Vimalakirti Nirdesa | A text that presents the lay Buddhist practitioner Vimalakirti as a model of Buddhist practice, and emphasizes the importance of wisdom and compassion. | Sanskrit | 1st century CE |
| Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra | A large body of literature that teaches the concept of “perfection of wisdom” (prajnaparamita) and emphasizes the emptiness of all phenomena. | Sanskrit | 1st century BCE-10th century CE |
| Platform Sutra | A text that documents the teachings of the Chan (Zen) master Huineng, who emphasizes the importance of sudden enlightenment and the direct transmission of the Dharma. | Chinese | 8th-13th century CE |