Sutra

Sutra is the second division of the sacred writings of the Buddhists, addressed to the laity. The following will show how these sacred writings are classified: The Dharmma, divided into the Suttani and Abhidhammani; again divided into— 1. Winaya, or discipline; 2. Sutra, or discourses; 3. Abhidharmma, or pre-eminent truths. The Sutra Pitaka contains seven sections, called Sangis; and, including both text and commentary, has 396,500 stanzas. See Hardy, Eastern fonachism.