widesutra 0.1.1

Python SDK for WideSutra — Buddhist scriptures, Tipitaka, Pali Canon, figures, concepts

widesutra

Python SDK for WideSutra — Buddhist scriptures, Tipitaka, Pali Canon, figures, and concepts. Access 5 scripture collections, 15 books, 5,326 texts with Pali originals, 10 Buddhist figures, and 15 core concepts through a typed Python API client, CLI, and MCP server.

WideSutra is part of the WideHoly multi-religion scripture platform. The REST API serves structured data extracted from primary Buddhist sources including the Pali Canon (Tipitaka), Mahayana sutras, and scholarly translations. Every text includes the original Pali alongside English translations.

Explore Buddhist scriptures at widesutra.com — collections, texts, figures, concepts, and glossary.

Table of Contents

• Install
• Quick Start
• What You'll Find on WideSutra
  • Buddhist Scripture Collections
  • Key Texts and Translations
  • Buddhist Figures
  • Core Concepts
• Command-Line Interface
• MCP Server (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf)
• API Endpoints
• API Reference
• WideHoly Scripture Platform
• License

Install

# Core SDK (includes httpx)
pip install widesutra

# With CLI support
pip install "widesutra[cli]"

# With MCP server for AI assistants
pip install "widesutra[mcp]"

# Everything
pip install "widesutra[all]"

Quick Start

from widesutra import WideSutra

with WideSutra() as client:
    # Browse scripture collections (Tipitaka, Mahayana Sutras)
    collections = client.list_collections(tradition="theravada")

    # Get a specific book
    book = client.get_book("dhammapada")
    print(book["name"])          # Dhammapada
    print(book["pali_name"])     # Dhammapada
    print(book["chapter_count"]) # 26

    # Read a verse with Pali original
    text = client.get_text("dhammapada", 1, 1, translation="sujato")
    print(text["results"][0]["text"])       # English translation
    print(text["results"][0]["text_pali"])  # Pali original

    # Search across all scriptures
    results = client.search("four noble truths")

    # Explore Buddhist figures
    buddha = client.get_figure("siddhartha-gautama")
    print(buddha["name"])        # Siddhartha Gautama
    print(buddha["pali_name"])   # Siddhattha Gotama
    print(buddha["is_buddha"])   # True

    # Look up core concepts
    concept = client.get_concept("four-noble-truths")
    print(concept["pali_term"])  # Cattari Ariyasaccani

    # Browse Pali/Sanskrit glossary
    glossary = client.list_glossary()

What You'll Find on WideSutra

Buddhist Scripture Collections

WideSutra organizes Buddhist scriptures into 5 collections spanning the major traditions. The Tipitaka (Pali Canon), the oldest surviving complete Buddhist canon, contains over 3,500 texts preserved in the Pali language. The Theravada tradition regards it as the most authentic record of the Buddha's teachings, compiled at the First Buddhist Council shortly after the Buddha's parinibbana.

Collection	Tradition	Texts	Description
Tipitaka	Theravada	3,500+	Three Baskets: Vinaya, Sutta, Abhidhamma
Mahayana Sutras	Mahayana	600+	Heart Sutra, Diamond Sutra, Lotus Sutra
Chinese Canon	East Asian	500+	Taisho Tripitaka selections
Tibetan Canon	Vajrayana	300+	Kangyur and Tengyur selections
Pali Commentaries	Theravada	400+	Buddhaghosa's Visuddhimagga and Atthakatha

The Tipitaka's three "baskets" each serve a distinct purpose: the Vinaya Pitaka contains monastic rules and their origin stories, the Sutta Pitaka preserves the Buddha's discourses, and the Abhidhamma Pitaka provides systematic philosophical analysis of mind and matter.

from widesutra import WideSutra

with WideSutra() as client:
    # List all Theravada collections
    collections = client.list_collections(tradition="theravada")
    for c in collections.get("results", []):
        print(f"{c['name']}: {c['text_count']} texts")

    # Get Tipitaka collection details
    tipitaka = client.get_collection("tipitaka")
    print(tipitaka["description"])

Key Texts and Translations

WideSutra provides 5,326 scripture texts with parallel Pali originals and English translations. The Dhammapada, a collection of 423 verses in 26 chapters, is among the most widely read Buddhist texts. Each verse is stored with the original Pali, transliteration, and translations by scholars including Bhikkhu Sujato and Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

Book	Collection	Chapters	Language	Notable Content
Dhammapada	Sutta Pitaka	26	Pali	423 verses on the path of truth
Heart Sutra	Prajnaparamita	1	Sanskrit	Core teaching on emptiness (sunyata)
Diamond Sutra	Prajnaparamita	32	Sanskrit	Dialogue on the nature of perception
Lotus Sutra	Mahayana	28	Sanskrit	Universal buddhahood, skillful means
Majjhima Nikaya	Sutta Pitaka	152	Pali	Middle-length discourses of the Buddha

Every text in WideSutra includes a structured reference (e.g., "Dhp 1:1" for Dhammapada Chapter 1, Verse 1) following standard academic citation formats used in Pali Text Society publications.

from widesutra import WideSutra

with WideSutra() as client:
    # Read the opening verse of the Dhammapada
    verse = client.get_text("dhammapada", 1, 1, translation="sujato")
    v = verse["results"][0]
    print(f"{v['reference']}")  # Dhp 1:1
    print(f"Pali: {v['text_pali']}")
    print(f"English: {v['text']}")

    # Search for teachings on mindfulness
    results = client.search("mindfulness", limit=5)
    for r in results.get("results", []):
        print(f"{r['reference']}: {r['text'][:80]}...")

Buddhist Figures

WideSutra catalogs 10 key Buddhist figures across traditions, from the historical Buddha to important disciples and bodhisattvas. Each entry includes names in Pali and Sanskrit, biographical information, tradition affiliation, and links to relevant scripture passages.

Figure	Pali Name	Sanskrit Name	Tradition	Role
Siddhartha Gautama	Siddhattha Gotama	Siddhartha Gautama	All	The historical Buddha
Sariputta	Sariputta	Shariputra	Theravada	Chief disciple, wisdom
Moggallana	Moggallana	Maudgalyayana	Theravada	Chief disciple, psychic powers
Ananda	Ananda	Ananda	All	Personal attendant of the Buddha
Mahakassapa	Mahakassapa	Mahakashyapa	All	Convener of the First Council
Avalokiteshvara	—	Avalokiteshvara	Mahayana	Bodhisattva of compassion
Manjushri	—	Manjushri	Mahayana	Bodhisattva of wisdom
Nagarjuna	—	Nagarjuna	Mahayana	Founder of Madhyamaka philosophy
Buddhaghosa	Buddhaghosa	Buddhaghosa	Theravada	Author of the Visuddhimagga
Milinda	Milinda	Menander I	Theravada	Greek king, subject of Milindapanha

from widesutra import WideSutra

with WideSutra() as client:
    # Get the historical Buddha
    buddha = client.get_figure("siddhartha-gautama")
    print(f"{buddha['name']} ({buddha['pali_name']})")
    print(f"Title: {buddha['title']}")

    # List Theravada figures
    figures = client.list_figures(tradition="theravada")
    for f in figures.get("results", []):
        print(f"- {f['name']}: {f.get('title', '')}")

Core Concepts

WideSutra covers 15 core Buddhist concepts with Pali and Sanskrit terminology, doctrinal context, and links to primary source texts. These concepts form the philosophical foundation of Buddhist thought across all traditions.

Concept	Pali	Sanskrit	Category
Four Noble Truths	Cattari Ariyasaccani	Catvary Aryasatyani	Doctrine
Noble Eightfold Path	Ariya Atthangika Magga	Arya Astangika Marga	Practice
Dependent Origination	Paticca Samuppada	Pratitya Samutpada	Doctrine
Three Marks of Existence	Tilakkhana	Trilakshana	Doctrine
Nirvana	Nibbana	Nirvana	Soteriology
Five Aggregates	Panca Khandha	Panca Skandha	Psychology
Karma	Kamma	Karma	Ethics
Samsara	Samsara	Samsara	Cosmology
Emptiness	Sunnata	Sunyata	Philosophy
Bodhisattva	Bodhisatta	Bodhisattva	Mahayana
Middle Way	Majjhima Patipada	Madhyama Pratipad	Doctrine
Mindfulness	Sati	Smrti	Practice
Compassion	Karuna	Karuna	Ethics
Impermanence	Anicca	Anitya	Doctrine
Non-self	Anatta	Anatman	Doctrine

The Four Noble Truths (Cattari Ariyasaccani) form the core framework of Buddhist teaching: the truth of suffering (dukkha), its origin (samudaya), its cessation (nirodha), and the path leading to its cessation (magga). This teaching was delivered in the Buddha's first sermon at the Deer Park in Sarnath, preserved in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11).

from widesutra import WideSutra

with WideSutra() as client:
    # Look up the Four Noble Truths
    concept = client.get_concept("four-noble-truths")
    print(f"{concept['name']}")
    print(f"Pali: {concept['pali_term']}")
    print(f"Sanskrit: {concept['sanskrit_term']}")
    print(f"Category: {concept['category']}")

    # List all doctrinal concepts
    concepts = client.list_concepts(category="doctrine")
    for c in concepts.get("results", []):
        print(f"- {c['name']} ({c.get('pali_term', '')})")

Command-Line Interface

# Search Buddhist scriptures
widesutra search "four noble truths"
widesutra search "mindfulness" --limit 5

# Get collection details
widesutra collection tipitaka

# Get book details
widesutra book dhammapada

# Look up a Buddhist figure
widesutra figure siddhartha-gautama

# Look up a core concept
widesutra concept four-noble-truths

MCP Server (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf)

Claude Desktop

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "widesutra": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "widesutra[mcp]", "python", "-m", "widesutra.mcp_server"]
    }
  }
}

Cursor / Windsurf

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "widesutra": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "widesutra[mcp]", "python", "-m", "widesutra.mcp_server"]
    }
  }
}

Available MCP tools:

• list_collections — List Buddhist scripture collections, filter by tradition
• get_collection — Get collection details by slug
• list_figures — List Buddhist figures, filter by tradition
• get_figure — Get figure details by slug
• list_concepts — List Buddhist concepts, filter by category
• search_sutra — Search Buddhist scriptures by keyword

API Endpoints

Method	Endpoint	Description
GET	/api/v1/sutra/collections/	List scripture collections
GET	/api/v1/sutra/collections/{slug}/	Collection details
GET	/api/v1/sutra/books/	List books (filter: collection__slug)
GET	/api/v1/sutra/books/{slug}/	Book details
GET	/api/v1/sutra/chapters/	List chapters (filter: book__slug)
GET	/api/v1/sutra/texts/	List/search texts (filter: book, chapter, translation)
GET	/api/v1/sutra/translations/	List translations
GET	/api/v1/sutra/translations/{code}/	Translation details
GET	/api/v1/sutra/figures/	List Buddhist figures (filter: tradition)
GET	/api/v1/sutra/figures/{slug}/	Figure details
GET	/api/v1/sutra/concepts/	List Buddhist concepts (filter: category)
GET	/api/v1/sutra/concepts/{slug}/	Concept details
GET	/api/v1/sutra/topics/	List topics
GET	/api/v1/sutra/topics/{slug}/	Topic details
GET	/api/v1/sutra/glossary/	List Pali/Sanskrit glossary
GET	/api/v1/sutra/glossary/{slug}/	Glossary term details

Example

curl -s "https://widesutra.com/api/v1/sutra/figures/siddhartha-gautama/"

{
  "id": 1,
  "name": "Siddhartha Gautama",
  "slug": "siddhartha-gautama",
  "pali_name": "Siddhattha Gotama",
  "sanskrit_name": "Siddhartha Gautama",
  "title": "The Buddha",
  "tradition": "All traditions",
  "description": "The historical founder of Buddhism...",
  "is_buddha": true,
  "wikidata_id": "Q9441",
  "url": "/figures/siddhartha-gautama/"
}

Full API documentation at widesutra.com/developers/. OpenAPI 3.1.0 spec: widesutra.com/api/schema/.

API Reference

Method	Parameters	Returns	Description
list_collections()	tradition?	dict	List scripture collections
get_collection()	slug	dict	Get collection by slug
list_books()	collection?	dict	List books, optional collection filter
get_book()	slug	dict	Get book by slug
get_text()	book, chapter, verse, translation?	dict	Get specific scripture text
search()	query, limit?	dict	Search scripture texts
list_translations()	—	dict	List available translations
get_translation()	code	dict	Get translation by code
list_figures()	tradition?	dict	List Buddhist figures
get_figure()	slug	dict	Get figure by slug
list_concepts()	category?	dict	List Buddhist concepts
get_concept()	slug	dict	Get concept by slug
list_topics()	—	dict	List Buddhist topics
get_topic()	slug	dict	Get topic by slug
list_glossary()	—	dict	List Pali/Sanskrit glossary
get_glossary_term()	slug	dict	Get glossary term by slug

WideHoly Scripture Platform

Part of the WideHoly multi-religion scripture platform.

Site	Domain	Focus
WideBible	widebible.com	Bible verses, cross-references, study tools
WideQuran	widequran.com	Quran surahs, ayahs, hadiths, tafsir
WideTorah	widetorah.com	Torah, Talmud, Mishnah, Rashi commentary
WideSutra	widesutra.com	Buddhist scriptures, Tipitaka, Pali Canon
WideGita	widegita.com	Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Vedic texts
WideHoly	wideholy.com	Multi-religion hub, cross-tradition search

Learn More About Buddhist Scriptures

• Scripture: Collections · Translations
• Reference: Figures · Topics · Glossary
• Study: Concepts · Pali Canon
• Tools: Search · Developer Docs
• API: Developer Docs · OpenAPI Spec

License

MIT