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Buddha
Sūtras are the ancient canonical Buddhist scriptures. Throughout the book, Ray frequently reads the Diamond Sūtra, one of the oldest and most influential sutras. Dating to 868 C.E., the Diamond Sūtra is also the oldest known printed book in history.
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Sūtra Term Timeline in The Dharma Bums
The timeline below shows where the term Sūtra appears in The Dharma Bums. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
Ray remembers Buddhist teachings about charity from the Diamond Sūtra, but he’s become less devout over the years, since the wanderings that he narrates in...
(full context)
Chapter 13
...down. He also wants to go hike Mount Tamalpais and “purify the atmosphere” with the Sūtras. Alvah has mixed feelings about this, and Japhy half-jokingly berates him, telling him to live...
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Chapter 21
...to his new meditation spot in the woods. Examining a pinecone, Ray remembers from the Sūtras that “emptiness is discrimination.” Lou has an epiphany and, to commemorate it, writes a poem...
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