Approaching the Suttas

Just as the approach to this course is a contemplative one, so we approach the Suttas in a contemplative way. In Western Christian monasticism a form for reading scripture was developed which is called Lectio Divina. Here we offer a contemplative approach that is based on that. This practice can be done in a group or individually. We thank Peter Woods for the transmission of this practice which he explains here within a Buddhist context:

This recording is from our first SMS residential retreat in 2008 at Dharmagiri in South Africa.

Here is the text with guidelines for the practice of Contemplative Sutta Reading: Lectio Divina Text

We encourage you to keep a journal through the course, jotting down your responses to Dharma themes, Sutta readings and your experience of meditation. It doesn't have to be in depth, but a few lines, perhaps with relevant quotes, will give a sense of continuity. For those who would like more context for studying the Suttas, we recommend Bhikkhu Bodhi's book 'In the Buddha's Words'.