sutra

[ soo-truh ]

noun

1. Hinduism. a collection of aphorisms relating to some aspect of the conduct of life.
2. Pali sut·ta [soot, -, uh]. Buddhism. any of the sermons of Buddha.
3. one of the approximately 4000 rules or aphorisms that constitute Panini's grammar of Sanskrit.

sutra

/ ˈsuːtrə /

noun

1. Hinduism Sanskrit sayings or collections of sayings on Vedic doctrine dating from about 200 ad onwards
2. modifier Hinduism
   1. of or relating to the last of the Vedic literary periods, from about 500 to 100 bc

      the sutra period

   2. of or relating to the sutras or compilations of sutras of about 200 ad onwards
3. Buddhism collections of dialogues and discourses of classic Mahayana Buddhism dating from the 2nd to the 6th centuries a.d

Word History and Origins

Origin of sutra¹

First recorded in 1795–1805, sutra is from the Sanskrit word sūtra

Word History and Origins

Origin of sutra¹

C19: from Sanskrit: list of rules

Example Sentences

Tripitaka, as the monk is nicknamed, has been tasked by China’s emperor to bring back special sutras of salvation from Thunderclap Monastery on Soul Mountain.

From Washington Post

Certainly it was more fun than yoga, which is, as far as I can tell, Kama Sutra for the lonely.

From The Daily Beast

She is the author of Teenage Waistland, but her greatest claim to fame is naming “Karamel Sutra” ice cream for Ben and Jerry's.

From The Daily Beast

The word "sutra" denotes literally "threads," and is used by Brahmanic writers for short, dry sentences, brief expositions.

From Project Gutenberg

In this way the great commentator seeks to reconcile teaching apparently contradictory in this Sutra.

From Project Gutenberg

Sankara maintains that the Sutra in question teaches the latter; the soul is everywhere.

From Project Gutenberg

Still, a man who could not kiss properly after reading the Kama Sutra would be a dullard indeed.

From Project Gutenberg

Most of the early sects, as will be seen, were founded upon some particular sutra, or upon selections or collections of sutras.

From Project Gutenberg