Tipiṭaka (Three-Fold Basket) - Meaning of Sutta (lectured by ven. Dehipagoda Vijitananda) 2011

             The three fold basket or Tipiṭaka has been used commonly in the traditional society past and present. The term Tipiṭaka was used by commentators to introduce the word of the Buddha lately. There are some confusions, that arose on behalf of division of the three baskets. Sutta is the most important part of that division. Explaining character of Buddha and all his fundamental teachings, the term sutta or suttanta is given several definitions by commentators in the Sumaṅgala Vilāsinī. Ven. Buddagosa has mentioned:

            “Atthānaṃ sūcanato suvuttato, savanatotha sūdanato;
             Suttāṇā suttasabhāgato ca, suttanti akkhātaṃ.”

            According to Buddhagosa, Sutta may mean various things: “atthānaṃ sūcanato” is deliberated. Sutta purifies the meaning of teaching of the Buddha. Savanato is defined as Sutta. It is the most single way to realize Dhamma through the hearing. Sutta provides the meaning without stopping, cutting or breaking, basket from the breast of cow, the sixth definition is “suttānaṃ”. It occurs that Sutta always tries to protect the meaning of the word of the Buddha. The last definition of Buddhagosa - “Sabhāgato” means gathering or collecting from other areas. Those definitions which were originated by Buddhagosa are not clear and perfect. In the long run we can make out that it was not agreed upon in the sutta or even among the commentators too.

            Prof. Oliver Abeynayake gives his own opinion of the term 'sutta'. In one of his articles he claims that the sutta may have originated from the term 'sutta' used by Brahmans to introduce part of “Veda” as “Purisa Sukta”. Sutta was made as “Su+Ukta”. “Su” would then be prefix which means “perfect” and “ukta” means explanations, utterance, perfect statement etc. We can therefore suggest that the therm sutta comes in Pāli language as influence of “sukta”.