Sutras & Sutta

Buddha's wonderful birth.

Remembering Acchariya Abbhuta Sutta: “Wonderful And Marvelous” Qualities of the Buddha on Buddha’s Day of Miracles

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Tara’s Great Dharani and the Sutra of Tara Who Protects from the Eight Fears: in Tara’s Own Words

Buddha teaching disciples (relief).

Reciting the Sutra Remembering the Three Jewels on Buddha Days: Purifying Karma, Removing Obstacles, “Skies of Merit”

Buddha's miracle of flames and water.

Miracles of Buddha: With the approach of Buddha’s 15 Days of Miracles, we celebrate 15 separate miracles of Buddha, starting with Ratana Sutta: Buddha purifies pestilence.

Two young monks recite sutras out loud, a meritorious practice.

Sutras: Seven Benefits of Reading Sutra Daily; and 10 Ways to Learn More and “Deep Dive” into Buddhist Sutras

Six-Armed Avalokiteshvara Expounding the Dharma: Folio from a Manuscript of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) | India (West Bengal)

Daily Recitation of the Heart Sutra in Sanskrit: a Heart Practice with countless benefits: purification, merit, wisdom, compassion, success

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's giant statue on the Golden Mount Emei. He is known in Chaina as Puxian.

Samantabhadra’s The King of Prayers is the ultimate Buddhist practice how-to and itself a complete practice

The great Buddha Diabutsu Mahavairocana at Todaiji in Japan.

Maha Vairocana Buddha of the 1000 Universes and Lotus Petals, Buddha of the Multiverse, Buddha of Light — Includes full chapter with “all mantras of all Buddhas”

Visualizing light coming from the heart of Amitbaha Budha as a practice, then entering our body.

Where is Amitabha’s Pureland and how can Amitabha’s practice protect us from danger; Why Amitabha practice is all many people need

Guan Shi Yin, Goddess of Mercy, rescues all beings from harm if they call her name with faith according to Sutra.

Why is there still suffering in the world if Universal Mother Bodhisattva Kuan Yin Pusa (Tara, Kurukulla, Kannon) rescues beings from suffering

Sitatapatra, a form of White Tara from Sutra, a protective supreme form who emerged from Shakyamuni Buddha's Ushnisha and is known to be most most protective of Enlightened Deities.

Sitatapatra or Dukkar — the ultimate protective Bodhisattva Goddess, form of Mother Tara — 1000 arms or 2 arms, she is “Aparajita” the Undefeatable One

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Finding the Good in Any Situation and “Turn the other cheek”? The Sutra with Advice to Venerable Punna from the Buddha

Shakyamuni Buddha passes into Paranirvana after decades of teaching.

Celebrating the Paranirvana of Shakyamuni Buddha for Saga Dawa Duchen with Maha-parinibbana Sutta

The very face of compassion, Metta personified in glorious Avalokiteshvara, the compassionate Buddha.

Great Compassion Mantra: Purification, healing and protection, the Maha Karuna Dharani Sutra — benefiting all beings

During a Dharma debate, monks laugh at each other's answers, here at Sera Jey Monestary.

Why debate is indispensible in Buddhism demonstrated by Manjushri vs Shakyamuni Buddha in Mahavaipulya Sutra

Shakyamuni Buddha teaches Singala the householder, instructing him in Buddhist responsibilities from a Lay person's point of view.

Buddha: How to protect wealth, associate with virtuous friends and relate to your spouse, employer, children: guidance for lay practitioners in Sigalovada Sutta

Shakyamuni Buddha teaching the Four Noble Truths.

“When the mind is undefiled, a happy destination”—Buddha; the 16 Defilements of the Mind, and the Simile of the Cloth: Vitthupama Sutta

Buddha statue, with his hand in the mudra of teaching.

Logic and Analysis: Buddha teaches in Magga-vibhanga Sutta — Analysis of the Noble Eightfold Path

Amitabha Buddha statue at an FPMT centre.

Amitabha practice: easy, welcoming, and his merits are so vast that all beings can benefit: Amitabha Sutra

Shakyamuni Buddha teaching.

11 essential subjects for meditation according to The Sutra on the Eight Realizations

Shakyamuni Buddha teaching.

Sutra in Forty-Two Sections — excerpts of timeless wisdom and practice advice from the World Honoured One

Giant statue of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha.

Why is “Most loved” Kṣitigarbha (Jizo) “Essence of Earth” Bodhisattva revered and beloved in Mahayana Buddhism as the “closest” of all the Enlightened Ones

Chenrezig is the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Loving Kindess.

Avalokiteshvara Chenrezig, the Buddha of the Three Worlds; bringing love and compassion to the path:

Celebrating Paranirvana Day.

Buddha’s Nirvana Day: Celebrations for Paranirvana day; quoting the last admonition of Buddha: Mahaparinibban Sutta

Thich Nhat Hanh contemplating. From the movie "Walk with me", releasing in 2017.

“Torches That Help Light My Path”: Thich Nhat Hanh’s Translation of the Sutra on the Eight Realizations of the Great Beings

Kshitigarbha, the Earth Store Bodhisattva, saving millions of beings over countless years.

Four heroic incarnations of Ksitigarbha, the “Earth Store” Bodhisattva — unfailing, never-tiring compassion

Buddha calmly resists Mara's evil hoard under the Bodhi tree.

Refuge is the Ultimate Protection from Dangers: The Maha Samaya Sutta — The Great Meeting Sutra

Buddha of Kamakura on a rainy day.

Dhaniya Sutta — “Go ahead and rain” Dhaniya the Cattleman: a mystical message meaningful in today’s stressful world

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The Seven Great Parables of the Lotus Sutra; some of the most important teachings of Buddha for the Mahayana Buddhist path

Angthong, Thailand - July 15, 2014: Actors performing fighting in ancient warrior style in front of large golden Buddha Image to celebrate Buddhist event at Wat Muang, Buddhist temple in Angthong, Thailand.

Yodhajiva Sutta — the warrior Sutta? The four great qualities of the warrior compared to the qualities of the monk: full English

Buddha explored the multiverse 2500 years before Quantum physics developed similar concepts.

Buddha taught temporal cosmology, the multiverse and non-linear time — 2500 years ahead of modern science (and Marvel comics). How is this possible?

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Limitless Buddhist Multiverse — Limitless You: Flower Garland Sutra and ultimate Buddhism: is-ness, thus-ness, all-ness

In the Sutra stories of Anathapindika is a precious and lovely story of complete generosity — the beggar girl who had nothing else to give the Buddha but the clothes off her own back. She generously gave, and was immediately rewarded for her act of supreme generosity.

Dana, power of giving — a beggar offers the clothes off her own back to the Buddha and becomes a goddess

Anathapindika, the wealthy merchant, donated Jetavana park, which sustained the Sangha for centuries. His, is a story of vast merit, of the supreme geneosity "within means."

Power of dana and generosity “within our means” — the Sutta stories of Anathapindika, who gave Buddha Jetavana park

Sattapitaka teaching sutra at the First Buddhist Council -- from a monastery painting in Laos.

Why Dhamma (Dharma) is the most important of the Three Jewels: “The Dhamma is our arbitrator” — Ananada in the Gopaka Moggallana Sutta

His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaching on the Heart Sutra.

If you have time for only one Buddhist Practice — recite Diamond Sutra, or Vajra Cutter Sutra; containing the four main points of Mahayana practice — unlimited merit according to many teachers: full text of the Sutra

A Tibetan monk diligently creates a sand mandala — a devotional act that shows faith (in the teachings) sufficient to spend days creating an impermanent mandala wit full concentration and meditative attention — and certainly mindfulness! — only at the end to sweep the mandala into the river water (demonstrating impermanence.)

The Five Strengths and Powers or pañcabalā in Buddhism — the qualities conducive to Enlightenment: faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom

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Not Yours! “Whatever is not yours: let go of it.” — letting go of past, letting go of future: Na Tumhaka Sutta

Buddha teaching.

Vyagghapajja Sutta — Buddha: “These four conditions, conducive to a householder’s happiness…” Buddha teaches the lay followers

Buddha and the dragon.

Sutra of the ten ways of being free: the Discourse on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action

A leaf of a Japanese translation of the Lotus Sutra showing the grand assembly from chapter 1.

Vyākaraṇaparivarta vyākaraṇa – “prophecy” or “prediction” chapter 6 of the Lotus Sutra

Close up detail face of Prajnaparamita, Wisdom Mother.

Prajnaparamita Yum Chenmo, the Face of Perfection: Wisdom Personified, “Emptiness is Form” Manifested: Great Mother of Wisdom

Rahula asks for his inheritance, urged on by his mother from a "life of Buddha" series of reliefs at Preah Prom Rath Monastery, Cambodia.

“It is I, Rāhula”; “I see,” said the Buddha — the story of Buddha’s son whose name means “shackle”

In Lotus Sutra, chapter 5, Buddha tells the Parable of the Medicinal Plants and the trees.

Lotus Sutra Chapter 5 — Parable of the Medicinal Plants, “all beings are nourished by Buddha Dharma”: full English translation.

The parable of the vagabond son and the affluent father who never gives up on him.

Lotus Sutra Chapter 4: Parable of the “Lost Vagabond Son” — second of seven parables: full English translation

Four happy novice Buddhist monks.

Why happiness and laughter are actual Buddhist teachings. The Sutra on Happiness, the Tathagata’s teaching “This is the great happiness!”

Avalokiteshvara statue (Guanyin, Kannon, Kuan Yin, Chenrezig). In the heart sutra it is Avalokiteshvara who teaches Shariputra, endorsed by Shakyamuni Buddha.

Commentary Heart Sutra — Most Famous of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras in Buddhism: Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form

Buddha calmly resists Mara's evil hoard under the Bodhi tree.

Ehipassiko: encouraging investigation — Buddha taught logic to give us confidence in Dharma — not perpetual doubt

Parable of the Burning Mansion Lotus Sutra Chapter 3.

Parable of the Burning House — Buddha tries to help his children leave the “burning mansion” — first Parable of the Lotus Sutra (Chapter 3) with full translation

Venerable Master Hsuan Hua dedicated his life to translating Sutras.

Expedient Means — the Lotus Sutra’s Essence Chapter (Chapter 2) 妙法莲华经 translated by Venerable Master Hsuang Hua

The Buddhist Text Translation Society of the City of 10000 Buddhas.

Lotus Sutra Series — 妙法莲华经 translated by Venerable Master Hsuang Hua — Chapter 1: 12,000 Bikshus gather to hear the Buddha

the Wheel of Life

Dependent Co-Arising Answers Most Arguments with Impeccable Logic: The Great Causes Discourse Maha-nidana Sutta

The Blessed One, the Buddha, teacher of both man and gods.

“To attain the highest state of bliss, which is Nirvana, we must follow the Blessed One” Kevaddha’s story in Pali Sutta

In Buddhism, we meditate on impermanance, in part, to help us prioritize remedies for transforming anger and other poisons.

9 ways Buddha taught us to transform anger — and put an end to negative cycles

Shakyamuni Buddha teaching.

Purify karma, heal illness, increase lifespan and avert calamities with Usnisa Vijaya Dharani Sutra and Mantra

Serial killer Angullimala tries to kill the Buddha and instead becomes his student. Buddha teaches Anguilmala — obviously an extreme case — through virtuous conduct. Even as the killer attacks him, Buddha does not attempt to defend himself — yet Anguilimala is unable to stab him.

Peacemaking Buddhism: importance of Ahimsa “Non-Harm” in Buddhism — “Nonviolence is the weapon of the strong.”

Mindfulness, as taught by Buddha, is the foundational practice of all forms of meditation in Buddhism, from Vipassana to Samatha to Mahamudra. No practice in Buddhism, including devotional Pureland Buddhism, can function without the foundation of mindfulness. For this reason, Buddha called it the "Only Way.":

One Sutta to rule them all — Buddha’s most important sutta on Mindfulness: The Satipatthana Sutta “The Only Way”

Guan Yin on a lotus.

Pacifier of War and Strife, Avalokiteshvara Guanyin Chenrezig — Bodhisattva delivering us from every danger; Chapter 25 Lotus Sutra

A baby is born happy — with no memory of past lives.

Rebirth vs Reincarnation: “If it isn’t ‘We’ who is reborn — if it is merely a continuum of us, but not us — then how does Karma work in the next life?” — A Reader Asks

Lama Zopa expounds on the benefits of the sublime "Golden Light Sutra."

Sutra of Golden Light brings “peace and happiness” and “long life”; also, Sutra transmission of Chod, alleviating fear, and healing

Tears of Buddha

Assu Sutta: Tears of suffering in Samsara greater than the “ocean of the four great oceans.” Buddha Sutra

Offering food to the monastic Buddhist Sangha are among the most virtuous of offerings.

Virtuous offerings to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, offered with “Pleasant Mind” have more merit than a mountain of jewels

Geshar of Ling

Fearless Buddhist: overcoming fear and becoming Gesar, : How to overcome fear in uncertain times, according to Pali Sutta, Mahayana Sutra and Tantra

New video series from Buddha Weekly "In Buddha's Words — NOT in Buddhas Words."

In Buddhas Words … NOT in Buddha’s Words Series. About 50 Percent of Online Quotes Attributed to Buddha are Actual

King Bimbisare offers to give up his entire kingdom to the Buddha. Credit Hintha.

Buddha’s Advice for Politicians? 10 Virtues of a Leader; “I have done what will not lead to future distress”

Lankavantara Sutra

The Three Svabhāva and The Five Dharmas: important core concepts from the Laṅkāvātara Sutra — full English Sutra at end of commentary

Buddha comes across the "untouchable" carrying excrement. Buddha treats the "untouchable" as an equal, without pride, and asks him to become one of his monks.

Why is pride a poison — and overcoming ego with the wisdom of Equality; practicing Ratnasambhava and the Ambhattha Sutra

Shakyamuni Gautama Buddha teaching the monks as recorded in Suttas. Statues from Jantaburi Temple iln Thailand.

Baalapandita Sutta: Buddha Teaches How to Recognize the Fool and the Wise One — English

Cover image by Ben Christian, from the book Gelug Mahamudra: Eloquent Speech of Manjushri by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche.

Book Excerpt: Gelug Mahamudra, Eloquent Speech of Manjushri, a commentary and practice guide on Sutra and Tantra Mahamudra by Ven. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Buddha gives precious teachings to the Bhikkus.

A Better Way to Catch a Snake Sutra: Buddha explains the danger of misinterpreting the Dharma

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Nidana Sutta: Buddha Teaches the Three Causes for the Origination of Actions — Greed, Aversion, and Delusion: Sutra

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Akkosa Sutra — How Buddha dealt with insults and hate; advice that transcends the centuries

Novice monk in Laos reading Buddhist Dharma texts in Sanskrit.

How to Read Buddhist texts in the original language and why it is a power practice.

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Amazing Choral Chanting of Heart Sutra Recitation: requested by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche; singers around the world

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“Is there any consciousness that is constant, lasting, eternal… that will stay just as it is as long as eternity”… Nakhasikha Sutta The Tip of the Fingernail

Buddha teaching the Dharma to disciples.

Headed for darkness or light? Of world’s 7.9 billion people, Tamonata Sutta says there are four types of people, two headed to darkness

Siddartha leaves the palace and sees the four sights: poverty, illness, old age and death.

The Path of Purification? No, my friend. Ratha-vinita Sutta (Chariot Relay Sutra) teaches us not to confuse the seven purifications, with the destination, Nirvana

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Mahayana Sutra Of The Three Superior Heaps — now, is always the right time to confess downfalls and purify them

The cornerstone of Buddhist practice is meditation in its many forms.

Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta: The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Awareness; mindfulness of body, feelings, mind, mental qualities

Shakyamuni subdues an elephant with loving kindness and the Abhaya gesture. The elephant was enraged by evil Devadatta.

Overcoming Fear: Three Remedies for Fear; What Buddha had to Say About Fearlessness in Abhaya Sutta

Buddha taught that the unanswerable metaphysical questions were unimoportant to the practice of Buddhism. Clinging to notions of time, soul, eternal life and so on create attachments rather than help us overcome them.

Is there room for the supernatural in Western Buddhism? Four sutra views of magic and metaphysical and why a supernatural perspective helps “see beyond ordinary perception”

A Mahayana temple during lunar new year.

May All Beings Have Happiness — Wishing all beings will have happiness in 2020 — the Year to Practice Metta and Loving Kindness (includes Metta Sutta)

Borobudur Stupas, Java Island Indonesia.

18 benefits to building, circumambulating or funding of Stupas, which represent “Buddha’s Holy Mind” — according to Sutra

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The secular Buddhist approach to managing money wisely — as taught in Sutra

Buddha teaching.

Vatthupama Sutta — when the mind is defiled, an unhappy destination… when the mind is undefiled, a happy destination

Buddha teaching.

Bhaddekaratta Sutta, Auspicious Day: “what is past is left behind; the future is as yet unreached… do what should be done today”

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Four Questions the Buddha Would NOT Answer and Why: Is the Cosmos Finite in Space?; Is the Universe Finite in Time?; Is the Self Different From Body?; Does the Buddha Exist After Death?

Buddha teaching.

Maranassati Sutta: Mindfulness of Death — “it plunges into the Deathless, has the Deathless as the final end.”

Buddha teaching the Dharma.

What is Welcome to the householder Buddhist — the Ittha Sutta. Long life, beauty, happiness are “not obtained by reason of prayers or wishes”

The Buddha teaching — his first teaching was on the Four Noble Truths.

Exploring Shunyata, Emptiness without Nihilism: the Sutra called Flawless Purity, Buddha’s dialogue with laywoman Gangottara

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Weekly Sutra: Hatthaka Sutta: Sleeping Well in the Cold Forest: “having cut all ties… he sleeps at ease… “

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Why Reciting Buddhist Sutras Out Loud is Important; Sutras Help Us Remain Mindful of the Teachings and Disengage the “Clinging” Conscious Mind

The river metaphor appears often in Sutra teachings. Here, Shakyamuni is assailed by Mara, but the evil ones are swept away in the river of Samsara. Buddha, the Enlightened, is unassailable.

Buddha teaches the Nadi Sutta: overcoming the assumptions of self with the River Sutra; the river of Samsara cannot be escaped by clinging to the notion of an “abiding self”

At the ultimate level, oneness.

What does Buddhism say about the idea of God? Best answer: ‘it’s complicated.” Are Buddhists theists, atheists or non-theists? Does it even matter?

Buddha teaching the Dharma.

Mangala Sutta: The Sutra on Happiness; Buddha teaches the 11 blessings, those things which bring happiness

Amitabha chanting at a night festival in Ho Chi Minh City.

Profound simplicity of “Amituofo”: why Nianfo or Nembutsu is a deep, complete practice with innumerable benefits and cannot be dismissed as faith-based: w. full Amitabha Sutra

Spiritual Director Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche. Born in eastern Tibet in 1948, Zasep Rinpoche was enthroned as the Thirteen Zasep Tulku (incarnation) at Zuru Monastery at the age of five. He is Spiritual Director at centres in Canada, USA, Australia and annually teaches in Mongolia and other countries.

Video part 2 of Heart Sutra Commentary by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche: how understanding Heart Sutra can help us overcome unhappiness, attachments, aversions and fear

Today, many Sadhanas are available digitally. Here, H.E. Zasep Rinpoche teaches from a Tibetan script Sadhana on an Ipad. Today, with teacher's travelling around the world, digital versions are indespensible.

Video: Heart Sutra Commentary by H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche Part 1: Teachings on Emptiness and the Skandas of Form and Feeling

An angry man insults the Buddha. The Buddha's reaction was "non reaction."

In this time of contagious insults and flaming on social media, Buddha has good advice: “If I do not get insulted, then the anger falls back on you.”

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