Let’s read a few small and quirky Suttas together. Best not to start reading Suttas by grappling with massive ideological tomes. How about a witty exchange of verses—a rap battle if you will—or an unexpected encounter with a mysterious stranger? By training on small things, we learn the skills for bigger ones.
There is a scheme of four modes of interpretation which I learned years ago from a rabbi explaining Torah study. Over the years I have evolved it into an approach for understanding and studying the Suttas.
Every passage of scripture can be seen from four angles:
• Literal—what do the words actually say? This is the hard part!
• Moral—what is the message? What values does it impart?
• Metaphorical—how might the text be applied in creative ways?
• Transcendental—how does it point to what lies beyond texts?
In this program we will read together a lesser-known Sutta each session, exploring the four approaches. Exercising our reading skills in this way trains us to recognize the value of different approaches to the Suttas, without being trapped in any one of them.
This program is cosponsored by SuttaCentral. Dāna will be shared with Suttacentral and BCBS.