Seven literary traditions: Spanish, French, German, Russian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. Spanish loads first; the others load quietly in the background. Use the language pills at the top to filter to a single tradition or browse all together.

What is a sutra or literary aphorism?

A sutra (Sanskrit: thread) is a condensed saying that carries a complete idea in the fewest possible words. Across traditions the same form appears — proverbs, maxims, aphorisms. Each entry here includes the original text, an English translation, a philosophical note, and the author and era where known.

How do I filter by era or time period?

Once a language is selected, an era filter row appears below the search bar listing all historical periods present in that tradition's data. Click any era chip to narrow the results. The count next to each era shows how many sutras exist for that period.

Can I copy a sutra to use elsewhere?

Yes — each card has a Copy button that copies the original-language text to your clipboard. For speeches or publications, we recommend also noting the author and era shown at the bottom of each card.