Where and When

Every first Saturday of the month from 9:30AM-12PM at our Radnor Friends Location.

The Sutras are threads (the literal meaning of the word ‘sutra’) of the Buddha’s teachings that were recorded and authenticated by his 500 disciples after his final Nirvana. In Sutra Study, we read the words of the Buddha, the enlightened one, and apply his teachings to the circumstances of our lives. We read a sutra, sit with the words and examine them ourselves. This is the most direct and intimate way to learn about Buddhism, rather than going through the interpretations of second-hand sources.

We meet in the morning of the first Saturday of every month. We practice sitting meditation for 20 minutes, from 9:30 AM to 9:50 AM, and start the Sutra Study from 10 AM to 12 PM. A link to the monthly reading will be posted below and on our calendar. We encourage attendees to come prepared to share their understandings, realizations and/or questions of the assigned sutra passage and how it applies to their daily practices and lives.

The Sutra Study is free and all are welcome to attend. No prior Buddhist knowledge or experience is necessary.

Sutra Study Schedule

Upcoming:

Saturday, October 3, 2020:
The Simile of the Cloth: Vatthūpama Sutta (MN 7)
https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN7.html
Led by Curtis Key

Past:

Saturday, September 5, 2020:
Bankei Zen: Translations from the Record of Bankei.
http://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/BankeiHaskel.pdf
Led by Julianna Lipschutz
The sections that we will be studying are as follows, please spend some time with them before we meet on Saturday:

p. 4   Listen carefully
p. 9   I’m ready to be your witness
p. 17 Growing up deluded
p. 19 Thirty days in the Unborn
p. 20 “The Kappa”
p. 21 Don’t beat sleeping monks
p. 24 Self-centeredness
p. 26 Getting sidetracked
p. 27 Self-power/other-power
p. 28 Everybody has the Buddha Mind
p. 32 Being living buddhas
Saturday, August 1, 2020:
The Factors of Concentration. Samādhaṅga Sutta  (AN 5:28)
https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN5_28.html
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Led by Curtis Key

Saturday, July 4, 2020:

The One Hundred Parable Sutra: http://www.buddhistdoor.com/OldWeb/resources/sutras/fable_sutra.htm
Translated by Tetcheng Liao
Led by Curtis Key

Saturday, June 6, 2020:

The Greater Discourse on Emptiness Maha Sunnata Sutta (MN 122)
https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN122.html
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Led by Curtis Key

Saturday, May 2, 2020:

The Shorter Discourse on Emptiness. Cūḷa Suññata Sutta  (MN 121)
here: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN121.html
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Led by Curtis Key

Saturday, March 7, 2020:

The Khuddakapatha: The Short Passages
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/khp/index.html
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Led by Curtis Key

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Kimsuka Sutta: The Riddle Tree
SN 35.204
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Led by Caitlin Stormont
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn35/sn35.204.than.html

Saturday, January 4, 2020

MN 27: Cula-hatthipadopama Sutta: The Shorter Elephant Footprint Simile
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Led by Mary Cook
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.027.than.html

Saturday, November 2, 2019

MN 19: Dvedhavitakka Sutta: Two Sorts of Thinking
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.019.than.html

Saturday, October 5, 2019

AN 10.60. Girimananda Sutta: Discourse to Girimananda Thera
Translated by Piyadassi Thera
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.piya.html

Saturday, September 7, 2019

MN 118: Anapanasati Sutta: Mindfulness of Breathing
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html

Saturday, August 3, 2019

DN 16 PTS: D ii 137 chapters 5-6. Maha-parinibbana Sutta: The Great Discourse on the Total Unbinding
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5- 6.than.html#chap5

Saturday, June 1, 2019
MN 86. Angulimala Sutta: About Angulimala
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.086.than. html

Saturday, May 4th 20, 2019
MN 9. Sammaditthi Sutta: Right View
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.than.html

Saturday, April 20, 2019
SN 56.11. Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html

Saturday, March 2, 2019
Anapanasati Sutta: Mindfulness of Breathing
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html

Saturday, February 2, 2019
MN 61. Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta: Instructions to Rahula at Mango Stone
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html

MN 14. Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta: The Lesser Mass of Stress
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.014.than.html

MN36. Maha-Saccaka Sutta: The Longer Discourse to Saccaka
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Saturday, January 5, 2019
AN 4.111: Kesi Sutta: To Kesi the Horsetrainer
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.111.than.html#kill

Saturday, November 3, 2018
MN 1. Mulapariyaya Sutta. The Root of All Things
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html

Saturday, October 13, 2018
Jaravagga: Aging, Dhp XI PTS: Dhp 146-156
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.11.than.html

Saturday, September 8, 2018
Selections from the Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha
Translated by Sister Vajira & Francis Story
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1- 6.vaji.html

Saturday, August 11, 2018
Anguttara Nikaya, AN 5.57: The Five Daily Recollections
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html

Saturday, July 14, 2018
Abhaya Sutta. An 4:18. Fearless
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
http://www.buddhasutra.com/files/abhaya_sutta.htm

Saturday, June 9, 2018
MN 21 Kakacupama Sutta: The Simile of the Saw
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html

Saturday, May 12, 2018
AN 3.65 Kalama Sutta: To the Kalamas
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html

Saturday, April 14, 2018
MN 58. Abhaya Sutta: To Prince Abhaya On Right Speech
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.058.than.html

Saturday, March 10, 2018
. Sutra: “Diamond Sutra”, specifically the following chapters:
Chapter 6
Chapter 8
Chapter 14
Chapter 17
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 28
Chapter 32

Saturday, February 10, 2018
Atthaka Vagga, Part 2

Sn 4.10 Purabheda Sutta: Before the Break-up of the Body
www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.4.10.than.html

Sn 4.11 Kalaha-vivada Sutta: Quarrels & Disputes
www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sltp/Sn_utf8.html#v.862

Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/index.html#vagga-4</>

Saturday, January 13, 2018

Atthaka Vagga, Part 1:

Sn 4.2 Guhatthaka Sutta: The Cave of the Body

Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka

Saturday, December 9, 2017
Anguttara Nikaya, 3.65. “Kalama Sutta: To the Kalamas”
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Saturday, November 11, 2017
.Sutra: The Lion’s Roar
translated by Sister Upalavanna

Saturday, October 14, 2017
. Sutra: Discourse on the Five Ways of Putting an End to Anger
translated by Thich Hhat Hanh​

Saturday, September 9, 2017​
​. Sutra: ​Discourse on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone
​translated by Thich Hhat Hanh

Saturday, August 12, 2017
​. Sutra: Discourse on the Middle Way
translated by Thich Hhat Hanh

Saturday, July 8, 2017​
​. Sutra: The Diamond Sutra [The Diamond That Cuts through Illusion]
translated by ​Thich Nhat Hanh

Saturday, June 10, 2017
​. Sutra: ‘The biography of Jīvaka Komārabhacca, [the personal physician to the Buddha]’, in the Great Division (Mahavagga) VIII of the Book of the Discipline (Vinaya-Pitaka) Volume IV, translated by I. B. Horner, published by the Pali Text Society, Oxford, 2000
Led by Pierce Salguero

Saturday, May 13, 2017
. Sutra: ​“Sitting Meditation” in The Sutra of Hui-Neng: Grand Master of Zen, Chapter 5 (p. 35-36)
translated by Thomas Cleary
Led by Julianna Lipschutz

Saturday, April 8, 2017
. Sutra: “Faith in Mind” by the Third Zen Patriarch, Seng Ts’an​
translated by Master Shengyan
Led by Julianna Lipschutz

Saturday, March 11, 2017
. Sutra: “Heart Sutra
Led by Robert Koller

Saturday, February 11, 2017
. MN 82 PTS: M ii 54, Ratthapala Sutta: About Ratthapala [To the Householder Ratthapala Who Sought Permission from Parents to Go Forth Homeless]
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu © 2006
Led by Robin Carr

Saturday, January 14, 2017
. MN 22 PTS: M i 130, Alagaddupama Sutta: The Water-Snake Simile [“A Discourse about Clinging on Views”]
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu © 2004
Led by Zachary Brown

Saturday, December 10, 2016
. SN IV: Atthakavagga   [“The Chapter on the Goal”]
from the Sutta Nipata [The Group of Discourse], translated from Pali by Luis O Gomez
in The Norton Anthology of World Religions: Buddhism edited by Donald S. Lopez Jr., 2015.
Led by Marcus Bingeheimer

Saturday, November 12, 2016
. MN 28 PTS: M i 184: Maha-hatthipadopama Sutta: The Great Elephant Footprint Simile [“The Four Great Elements & Dependent Arising of the Five Aggregates”], translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu © 2003
Led by Pierce Salguero

October 8, 2016
• MN 10 PTS: M i 55, Satipatthana Sutta: Frames of Reference [“The Four Foundations of Mindfulness”] translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu © 2008
Led by David Carpenter

September 10, 2016
• MN 27 PTS: M i 175, Cula-hatthipadopama Sutta: The Shorter Elephant Footprint Simile, translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu © 2005
Led by Heidi Scheer

August 10, 2016
• MN 4 PTS: M i 16, Bhaya-bherava Sutta: Fear & Terror, translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu © 1998
Led by Julianna Lipschutz

Saturday, July 9, 2016
• Book: The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation: The essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight & Dhyāna Meditation (p. 189-201)—Final Chapter 10: Realization of the Fruits
Led by David Carpenter

Saturday, June 11, 2016
• Book: The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation: The essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight & Dhyāna Meditation (p. 169-187)—Chapter 9: Treatment of Disorders [Or, C. Pierce Salguero’s translation titled “Treating illness“]
Led by David Carpenter, Pierce Salguero & Julianna Lipschutz

Saturday, May 14, 2016
• Book: The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation: The essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight & Dhyāna Meditation (p. 139-153)—Chapter 7: Manifestation of Roots of Goodness
Led by David Carpenter & Robin Carr

Saturday, April 9, 2016
• Book: The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation: The essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight & Dhyāna Meditation (p. 99-137)—Chapter 5: Utilizing Skillful Means & Chapter 6: The Actual Cultivation
Led by David Carpenter & Zachary Brown

Saturday, March 12, 2016
• Book: The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation: The essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight & Dhyāna Meditation (p. 77-97)—Chapter 4 : Making Adjustments
Led by David Carpenter & Zachary Brown

Saturday, February 13, 2016
• Book: The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation: The essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight & Dhyāna Meditation (p. 53-75)—Chapter 2 : Renunciation of Desires Chapter 3: Elimination of the Hindrances
Led by David Carpenter & Zachary Brown

Saturday, January 9, 2016
• Book: The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation: The essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight & Dhyāna Meditation (p. 31-51)—Zhiyi’s Preface Chapter 1: Fulfillment of the Prerequisite Conditions
Led by David Carpenter

Saturday, December 12, 2015
• Sutra: Sutra of the Eight Realizations of Great Beings (with Annotations)
Led by Robin Carr

Saturday, November 14, 2015
• Sutra: MN 14, Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta: The Lesser Mass of Stress
• Sutra: MN 36, Maha-Saccaka Sutta: The Longer Discourse to Saccaka
Led by William Stauffer

Saturday, October 10, 2015
• Sutra: MN118, Ānāpānasati Sutta (“Mindfulness of Breathing”)
Led by Julianna Lipschutz

Saturday, September 12, 2015
• Sutra: MN86, Angulimala Sutta (To Angulimala, a murderer)
Led by Zachary Brown

Saturday, August 8, 2015
• Sutra of Sitting Dhyāna Samādhi
(Selections from The Sutra on the Concentration of Sitting Meditation)
• Zhiyi Six Dharma Gates Chapter Two (Chapter Two)
Led by David Carpenter

Saturday, July 11, 2015
Therigatha: Poems of early Buddhist nuns (Chapter XI)
• The Elders’ Verses II – translated by K. R. Norman
[We will use this version for discussion.]
• Psalms of the Sisters: Canto VI: Psalms of Six Verses – translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Led by Marcus Bingenheimer

Saturday, June 13, 2015
• Sutra: AN 10.60 PTS: A v 108 Girimananda Sutta: Discourse to Girimananda [on Healing Illness] – translated from the Pali by Piyadassi Thera
Led by Robin Carr

Saturday, May 9, 2015
• Sutra: AN 11.16 PTS, Metta (Mettanisamsa) Sutta: Discourse on Advantages of Loving-Kindness – translated from the Pali by Piyadassi Thera
• Sutra Sn (Sutta Nipata) 1.8, Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha’s Words on Loving-Kindness
• Additional translations of Sutra Sn (Sutta Nipata) 1.8 Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha’s Words on Loving-Kindness
Led by Heidi Scheer

Saturday, April 11, 2015
Ud 6.4 PTS: Ud 66
Tittha Sutta: Sectarians (1) translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland
Led by Zachary Brown

Saturday, March 14, 2015
AN 3.65 PTS
Kalama Sutta: The Instruction to the Kalamas translated from the Pali by Soma Thera
Led by William Stauffer

Saturday, February 14, 2015
SN 22.85 at SN III 109
Yamaka Sutta: Discourse to Yamaka
• translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
• translated from Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (“The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya” 2003, p. 931-936).
Led by Marcus Bingenheimer

Saturday, January 10, 2015
Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha translated from the Pali by Sister Vajira & Francis Story
Led by David Carpenter

Saturday, December 13, 2014
SN 22.59 Anatta-lakkhana Sutta: The Discourse on the Not-self Characteristic translated from the Pali by Ñanamoli Thera
and
SN 35.28 Adittapariyaya Sutta: The Fire Sermon translated from the Pali by Ñanamoli Thera
Led by Robin Carr

Saturday, November 8, 2014
The Four Noble Truths (MN141, Saccavibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Truths) translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Led by Frank Hoffman

Saturday, October 11, 2014
The Noble Search (Ariyapariyesana Sutta from Majihima Nikaya26) translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Led by William Stauffer

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