Dona Sutta

Dona Sutta

The Dona-sutta is a short Buddhist discourse between a brahmin and the Buddha concerning his nature or identity. It is preserved in five versions: one in Pali (Anguttara ii.37-30), one in the Gandharan Buddhist Texts and three in Chinese parallel translations (Taisho vol 2.717c, 2.28a and 2.467a).

According to the Dona-sutta, the Buddha was once questioned by a brahmin called Dona, or Dhuma according to two of the Chinese versions. This brahmin comes across the Buddha's footprints and notices the wheel marks on the soles of his feet. Amazed by what he has seen, he follows them until he comes to where the Buddha is serenely seated. He then poses the Buddha certain questions. At this point, interpretation of the sutta in English language becomes somewhat controversial, since there is not a consensus regarding the proper English translation of the verb bhavissati, a key word used in Dona's questions.