--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Suttas are not meant to be 'sacred…" description: "\"Suttas are not meant to be 'sacred scriptures' that tell us what to believe. One should read them, listen to them, think about them, contemplate them, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/ajahn-sumedho-38140_believe_suttas-are-not-meant-to-be-sacred-script_2775476.jpg" --- # Suttas are not meant to be 'sacred scriptures' that tell… ![“Suttas are not meant to be 'sacred scriptures' that tell us what to believe. One should read them, listen to them, think about them, contemplate them, and investigate the present reality, the present experience with them. Then, and only then, can one insightfully know the truth beyond words.” quote by Ajahn Sumedho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/ajahn-sumedho-38140_believe_suttas-are-not-meant-to-be-sacred-script_2775476.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/ajahn-sumedho-38140_believe_suttas-are-not-meant-to-be-sacred-script_2775476.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/ajahn-sumedho-38140_believe_suttas-are-not-meant-to-be-sacred-script_2775476.jpg) > “Suttas are not meant to be 'sacred scriptures' that tell us what to believe. One should read them, listen to them, think about them, contemplate them, and investigate the present reality, the present experience with them. Then, and only then, can one insightfully know the truth beyond words.” [Ajahn Sumedho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-sumedho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suttas invite active inquiry, not blind belief; truth emerges through personal investigation. **In simple terms:** Question scriptures, seek truth. Key Takeaway Practice critical engagement with teachings. Themes spiritual inquiry critical thinking truth Mood inquisitive spiritual Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - meditation - study groups - personal reflection - academic research Key Concepts Buddhism philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you test spiritual claims? - What methods deepen personal insight? A Different Perspective May challenge established traditions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Buddhist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhist/) [Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred/) [Sacred scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred-scripture/) [Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture/) [Scriptures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scriptures/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [From no source has the author drawn more conspicuously than from the sacred Scriptures. 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Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/ignorance-of-the-scriptures-is-ignorance-of-christ/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [The Christian religion is the religion of our country. From it are derived our nation, on the character of God, on the great moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holmes-mcguffey/the-christian-religion-is-the-religion-of-our-country-from-it-are/) William Holmes McGuffey > [In questions of this sort there are two things to be observed. First, that the truth of the Scriptures be inviolably maintained. 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Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [“No psychology of religion can teach us what conversion is and ought to be; the Scriptures alone can tell us that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/no-psychology-of-religion-can-teach-us-what-conversion-is-and-ought/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“The Scriptures tell us that right and wrong do exist. Our duty is to do what is right, and it is not too difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cahill/the-scriptures-tell-us-that-right-and-wrong-do-exist-our-duty-is-to/) [Mark Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cahill/) ## More by Ajahn Sumedho > [The problem is grasping the clock. So what do I do? 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Now is the knowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-sumedho/a-new-day-is-here-yesterday-is-a-memory-tomorrow-is-unknown-now-is/) [Ajahn Sumedho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-sumedho/) > [Instead of becoming the world’s expert on Buddhism, just let go, let go, let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-sumedho/instead-of-becoming-the-world-s-expert-on-buddhism-just-let-go-let-go/) [Ajahn Sumedho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-sumedho/) > [Of course we can always imagine more perfect conditions, how it should be ideally, how everyone should behave. But it is not our task…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-sumedho/of-course-we-can-always-imagine-more-perfect-conditions-how-it-should/) [Ajahn Sumedho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-sumedho/) > [The empty mind - the pure mind - is not a blank, zero-land, where you're not feeling or caring about anything. It's an effulgence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-sumedho/the-empty-mind-the-pure-mind-is-not-a-blank-zero-land-where-you-re/) [Ajahn Sumedho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-sumedho/) > [The mind of an enlightened human being is flexible and adaptable. 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And I did not seek tranquillity anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-sumedho/i-contemplated-my-greed-for-peace-and-i-did-not-seek-tranquillity/) [Ajahn Sumedho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-sumedho/) [Explore all 12 Ajahn Sumedho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-sumedho/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. 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