Why Read the Suttas?

Where we gather to focus on a single discourse or thematic collection from the Sutta Piṭaka (new selection every two weeks)
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Why Read the Suttas?

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

Coëmgenu wrote:Do you know of any other programs like this, Bhante? I am looking for a program similar to this with mac functionality and having difficulty finding one.
No. If there is one, Phra Yuttadhammo might know. You could, of course, bookmark the Tipitaka.org Pali texts and save any texts that you wish to study to your hard drive.
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Coëmgenu
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Re: Why Read the Suttas?

Post by Coëmgenu »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:
Coëmgenu wrote:Do you know of any other programs like this, Bhante? I am looking for a program similar to this with mac functionality and having difficulty finding one.
No. If there is one, Phra Yuttadhammo might know. You could, of course, bookmark the Tipitaka.org Pali texts and save any texts that you wish to study to your hard drive.
It was more the dictionary capabilities that are inbuilt to the software that I was looking to obtain a version of, since I still have some difficulty looking up Pali words when they appear in unusual inflected forms. But I will be sure to reach out to Ven Yuttadhammo, thanks.
Last edited by Coëmgenu on Sun Sep 18, 2016 3:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Kamran
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Re: Why Read the Suttas?

Post by Kamran »

In the Buddha's Words is now available on Audible, so you can also listen to the Sutta's :)

http://www.audible.com/pd/Religion-Spir ... 312&sr=1-1

"Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness — are being recited. We will lend ear, will set our hearts on knowing them, will regard these teachings as worth grasping & mastering.' That's how you should train yourselves."
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cjmacie
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Re: Why Read the Suttas?

Post by cjmacie »

(Please pardon -- parenthetical to TOPIC)
Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:
Coëmgenu wrote:Do you know of any other programs like this, Bhante? I am looking for a program similar to this with mac functionality and having difficulty finding one.
No. If there is one, Phra Yuttadhammo might know. You could, of course, bookmark the Tipitaka.org Pali texts and save any texts that you wish to study to your hard drive.
True -- CST 4.0 doesn't run on Apple computers (short of running in some WIndows emulation mode).

However... I've found that the complete Pali texts from any opened window in CST 4.0 can be copied-out and pasted into MSWord documents -- it works, with all the formatting, diacriticals, etc. Someone could do that easily -- might take a couple of hours -- for the entire Canon. Then using a nested hierarchy of directorys, named after the catagories and subcategories, etc. to emulate the structure of CST 4.0.

In terms of text access, that would be just as good. It has, too, the advantage that MSWord text can be easily searched for any string. The "Search" function in CST 4.0 seems a totally different animal, going across whole collections of volumes of the Canon.

Downside -- one wouldn't have those menu-buttons that, given mouse-pointer somewhere in the text, instantly bring-up commentary on the passage, and/or sub-commentary.
dhammarelax
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Re: Why Read the Suttas?

Post by dhammarelax »

Dear Friends

I would add that not only reading the suttas is highly recommended, but memorizing them, reciting them, analyzing and understanding.

smile
dhammarelax
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LuisR
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Re: Why Read the Suttas?

Post by LuisR »

Are there specfic suttas that might help me teach me how to deal with racism?
JohnK
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Re: Why Read the Suttas?

Post by JohnK »

LuisR wrote: Fri Aug 24, 2018 12:43 am Are there specfic suttas that might help me teach me how to deal with racism?
Here is one possibility -- this sutta contains the simile of the saw (at the end of the sutta).
However, "racism" is a broad term that can apply to many things, so this simile may or may not be relevant to your particular issue around racism.
For example, there are certainly suttas where the Buddha says that real nobility is based on actions not on birth into a particular group.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html

Edited to add:
https://suttacentral.net/mn98/en/sujato
(This is about action determining "a brahmin" not birth into a group.
Last edited by JohnK on Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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LuisR
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Re: Why Read the Suttas?

Post by LuisR »

JohnK wrote: Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:53 am
LuisR wrote: Fri Aug 24, 2018 12:43 am Are there specfic suttas that might help me teach me how to deal with racism?
Here is one possibility -- this sutta contains the simile of the saw (at the end of the sutta).
However, "racism" is a broad term that can apply to many things, so this simile may or may not be relevant to your particular issue around racism.
For example, there are certainly suttas where the Buddha says that real nobility is based on actions not on birth into a particular group.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
Thank you Johnk, i apprecaite the reply. :anjali:
JohnK
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Re: Why Read the Suttas?

Post by JohnK »

LuisR wrote: Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:57 am ...
Thank you Johnk, i apprecaite the reply. :anjali:
You're welcome.
Here is another about which Thanissaro Bhikkhu has this to say:
"The topic treated in greatest detail concerns the differences among the castes of the Buddha's time, and the Buddha's remarks can profitably be applied to issues of racism in ours."
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
Those who grasp at perceptions & views wander the internet creating friction. [based on Sn4:9,v.847]
LuisR
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Re: Why Read the Suttas?

Post by LuisR »

JohnK wrote: Fri Aug 24, 2018 2:09 am
LuisR wrote: Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:57 am ...
Thank you Johnk, i apprecaite the reply. :anjali:
You're welcome.
Here is another about which Thanissaro Bhikkhu has this to say:
"The topic treated in greatest detail concerns the differences among the castes of the Buddha's time, and the Buddha's remarks can profitably be applied to issues of racism in ours."
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
Thanks again John. :anjali:
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