Below is a list of sutras organized alphabetically under the broad categories of Hinduism and Buddhism. Note that there is considerable difficulty in fixing the period of the various sutras.

Sutras primarily associated with Hinduism

Vedanga

• Shiksha (phonetics)
• Chandas (metrics)
• Vyakarana (grammar)
  • Ashtadhyayi (Panini), discussing grammar
• Nirukta (etymology)
• Jyotisha (astronomy)
• Kalpa (ritual)
  • Srauta Sutras, performance of sacrifices
  • Sulba Sutras, architecture of sacrificial area

Vedanta

• Brahma Sutras (or Vedanta Sutra) (Badarayana)
• Smarta Sutras,
  
  
  
  covering domestic life
  • Grhya Sutras
  • Samayacarika or Dharma Sutras

Hindu philosophy

• Yoga Sutras; (Patanjali)
• Nyaya Sutras, on logic
• Vaisesika Sutra

Sutras primarily associated with Buddhism

Pali sutras

Main article: Tripitaka

• Digha Nikaya: 34 sutras, including
  • Brahmajala Sutta, a critique of 64 'wrong views' current at the time of the Buddha
  • Mahaparinibbana Sutta, the last days of the Buddha, Theravada version

• Majjhima Nikaya: 152 sutras, including
  • Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta, on questions that lead to a thicket of views and on the extinguished fire as a metaphor for nirvana
  • Anapanasati Sutta, a discourse on the method of being mindful of the breath
  • Satipatthana Sutta

• Samyutta Nikaya: 2,889 sutras, including
  • Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, the Buddha's first discourse on the nature of his enlightenment
  • Upanisa Sutta, on the two types of conditionality

• Anguttara Nikaya: 2,308 sutras, including
  • Kalama Sutta, the Buddha's advice to the Kalamas on how to decide which practices are correct
  • Metta Sutta,
    
    
    
    a rhapsody on the quality of universal loving-kindness

• Khuddaka Nikaya: 266 sutras and miscellaneous texts, including
  • Dhammapada, a collection of sayings and aphorisms thought to be amongst the oldest texts

Mahayana sutras

Main article: Mahayana sutras

• Amitabha Sutra, or Smaller Pure Land Sutra
• Avatamsaka Sutra or Flower Garland Sutra (Chinese: Huayan Jing)
• Contemplation Sutra, important in Pure Land Buddhism
• Diamond Sutra
• Heart Sutra, important in Zen Buddhism
• Infinite Life Sutra, or Large Pure Land Sutra
• Lankavatara Sutra
• Lotus Sutra, foundational text of Tiantai and Nichiren sects
• Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the last days of the Buddha, Mahayana version
• Perfection of Wisdom or Prajñāparamita Sutras
• Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch
• Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment (Chinese: Yuanjue Jing)
• Shurangama Sutra
• Sutra in Forty-Two Sections
• Sutra of Golden Light, important in Japanese Buddhism
• Ten Stages Sutra
• The Blessing of the Original Vow of the Master of Healing, Azure Radiance Tathagata
• Ullambana Sutra
• Vimalakirti-nirdesa Sutra

Vajrayana sutras

• Mahavairocana Sutra also known as the Mahavairocanādhisambodhi Tantra.
• Vajrasekhara Sutra

Other Sutras

• Kama Sutra, written by Vyatsayana, based on Hinduism. It is famous for its explanations of sexual positions.
• Smokey the Bear Sutra, Written by American poet Gary Snyder (b. 1930) in 1969, which presents 20th century environmental concerns and convictions in the form of a Buddhist sutra. It is widely available on the internet due to the author's grant of free reproduction of the text. See Wikisource - Smokey the Bear Sutra.

See also

• Chinese Buddhist canon
• Tibetan Buddhist canon