sutra

American  

[soo-truh] / ˈsu trə /

noun

1. Hinduism. a collection of aphorisms relating to some aspect of the conduct of life.

2. Pali sutta.  Buddhism. any of the sermons of Buddha.

3. one of the approximately 4000 rules or aphorisms that constitute Panini's grammar of Sanskrit.

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sutra British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of sutra

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

Example Sentences

Also: she has tattooed into one arm, three times, a yoga sutra in Sanskrit that she translated as “submit your will to the will of God.”

From New York Times • Oct. 5, 2022

The exhibition title comes from a popular sutra in Mahayana Buddhism that is chanted by zen groups.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2019

After Prakash placed the holy wedding necklace, the mangal sutra, around her neck, Karmen clasped hands with him.

From Salon • Jan. 19, 2013

The Bhagavad Gita and yoga sutra texts on his bedside table are believably well-worn.

From Forbes • Oct. 18, 2012

I will ascend that rock; read the sutra of the Lady Kwannon.

From The Yotsuya Kwaidan or O'Iwa Inari Tales of the Tokugawa, Volume 1 (of 2) by De Benneville, James S. (James Seguin)