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Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 4:09 am
by Ngawang Drolma
Do you have a favorite sutra?

:namaste:

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 4:19 am
by zerwe
At the moment my favorite sutra would be the vajra cutter.
Shaun :namaste:

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 4:44 am
by Su DongPo
The Heart Sutra. It's really short! :smile:

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 6:13 pm
by DGA
Lotus Sutra.

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 10:12 pm
by kirtu
The Mahayana Brahma Net Sutra, the Anthill Sutta, the Lotus Sutra and the Avatamsaka Sutra.

So out of all of them the Brahma Net Sutra.

Kirt

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 10:21 pm
by conebeckham
It changes..but currently it's the Avatamsaka and the Brahman Net (nods to Kirtu!)--Lankavatara is in my top ten for sure!

This shows, not the merit or value of the sutras named, though, but the mental condition of myself, the judge.

:tongue:

There is no "best" sutra--there is only that which various beings need, at various times.

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 12:09 am
by DNS
Heart Sutra

Lankavatara Sutra

From the Theravada there is the Kalama Sutta (Anguttara Nikaya 3.65) and Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Samyutta Nikaya 56.11) and others, if there is a Mahayana equivalent to those (such as in the Agamas).

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 4:16 pm
by Astus

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 12:30 am
by tktru
All of them, as a former Governor of Alaska would say...

A quotation from one of those favorite sutras of mine....
"First: due to my attaining the miraculous wonder of hearing the mind, the essence of mind was liberated from the organ and states of hearing. Therefore, there was no distinction among seeing, hearing, sensation, knowing, and so forth. The enlightenment became a single, perfect fusion, pure and precious enlightenment. For that reason, I am able to manifest many wonderful appearances and can proclaim boundless secret holy mantras. Among those, I may appear with one head, three heads, five heads, seven heads, nine heads, eleven heads, and so forth, including a hundred and eight heads, a thousand heads, ten thousand heads, or eighty-four thousand vajra heads; two arms, four arms, six arms, eight arms, ten arms, twelve arms, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen arms, or twenty arms, twenty-four arms, and so forth until there may be a hundred and eight arms, a thousand arms, ten thousand arms, or eighty-four thousand mudra arms; two eyes, three eyes, four eyes, nine eyes, and so forth including a hundred and eight eyes, a thousand eyes, ten thousand eyes, or eighty-four thousand pure and precious eyes, sometimes compassionate, sometimes awesome, sometimes in Samadhi, sometimes displaying wisdom to rescue and protect living beings so that they may attain great self-mastery."
Shurangama Sutra, Scroll 6

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 12:45 am
by Ngawang Drolma
I do like the Golden Light sutra :)

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 1:51 am
by plwk
Da one where it tells ya to stop yadayada-ing and start practising? Wats iz name?

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 7:26 pm
by Nicholas Weeks
Avatamsaka Sutra!

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 7:27 pm
by Schrödinger’s Yidam
The Uttaratantra, hands down.

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2017 8:58 pm
by Admin_PC
The Shorter Sukhavativyuha Sutra, as it's the one I've read the most commentaries on, the one I've recited the most, and the one that tends to pop into my head at the most random times. That being said, there are a LOT of sutras I enjoy.

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2017 1:38 am
by Bakmoon
The Avatamsaka Sutra is my favorite. It's a veritable encyclopedia of both practical and doctrinal information, and it's expressed in such beautiful and profound poetry and imagery.

After that, I'd probably say the Lankavatara Sutra. It just covers so much ground and clarifies so many things.

In third place I'd either say the Prajnaparamita Sutra in 25,000 lines or the Diamond Sutra.

The Pratyutpana Samadhi Sutra is always worth reading. Also the Samdhinirmocana Sutra as well.

I find the Srimaladevi Sutra to be the clearest of the Tathagatagarbha Sutras personally.

For non-Mahayana Sutras I would probably say the Saccavibhanga Sutta, the Samannaphala Sutta, the Brahmajala Sutta, the Satipatthana Sutta, the Anapanasati Sutta, and the Chachakka Sutta all make it onto my favorites list.

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2017 1:54 am
by Rakz
Nicholas Weeks wrote:Avatamsaka Sutra!
seconded

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2017 2:02 am
by Boomerang
The Sanghata Sutra was the first long sutra that I recited all the way through. Every once in a while I listen to the audiobook.

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2017 4:39 am
by Sprouticus
:anjali:

The Heart Sutra and the Karaniya Metta Sutta. The mantra at the end of the Heart Sutra is very moving, each and every time I hear or recite it.

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 4:00 pm
by well wisher
Arewe allowed to pick multiple favourties?
Then my favourties, for now, will be: Amitabha Sutra, Heart Sutra, and the Kalama Sutra.
(I mgiht add more as time goes along).

I find each sutra has its own significant meaning and can make one's own life happier with less fetters, if applied to the correct situaion - avoiding "extermist harming views", of course.

Even if some sutra might contradict some others, if you rotate it situationally ....
you can get the best out of each sutra and dharma! :yinyang:
Best wishes,

Re: Favorite Sutra?

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 5:32 pm
by Malcolm
The Ārya-aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā specifically, and all Prajñāpāramita sūtras in general.