Welcome to the Sutta Study Group of Grand Island!

Who are you?

We are an aspiring Buddhist sutta study group based in Grand Island, Nebraska.

What are the suttas?

The words of the Buddha were originally preserved as an oral tradition. It was only hundreds of years later that they were written down, in an ancient language known as Pali, in a collection of works called the Pali Canon.

Each book in the Pali Canon contains hundreds or thousands of short verses or chapters called suttas. The purpose of this group is to study these suttas.

Two good websites to read the suttas are Access To Insight and SuttaCentral.

How many suttas are there?

The Buddha taught for 45 years, to an audience ranging from peasants to kings and beyond. The Pali Canon also contains hundreds of years of teachings after the life of the Buddha. A collection of the entire Pali Canon could fill a small bookshelf.

Why study the suttas?

Although they are extensive, the suttas remain the most direct way to access the Buddha’s teachings. Studying them carefully will provide deep understanding into the context in which the Buddha taught, as well as the many situations and questions the early monastics faced.

Where and when do you meet?

We will meet at the Grand Island Public Library. Meetings dates and times are flexible since the group is still forming. If you are interested, please email us!

Do I need to bring anything?

Reading materials, discussion questions, and other educational content will all be provided freely.

How will meetings be structured?

The format of the meetings will be as follows:

• An informal time for friendly conversation.
• A very short chant/dedication of merit.
• Introduce the topic for the gathering
• Read the related suttas and/or watch a short Dhamma talk.
• A discussion period.
• A final, brief concluding chant/dedication.

Are there any disclaimers?

This is a peer-to-peer study group. It is for lay individuals to come together to study, discuss, and discover the Buddha’s teachings. The best way to think about this group is that it is like a peer-led Christian Bible study group.

This group is not for the purpose of providing counseling or psychological services. It is not for the purpose of dealing with trauma, addiction, or marital and family issues. Although the Buddha’s teachings deal directly with the suffering which underlies these issues, this is not the appropriate setting to work through these problems.

The author of this website does retain control of this website and its name. The author of this website retains the right to disband the group at his/her discretion.

Who is the author of this website?

The author of this website is not a monk, nor a teacher, nor a psychologist. The author of this website is only the originator and facilitator of this group.