Adding new parallels to SuttaCentral

I realized that these would come under “template parallels”, as used in BB’s Connected Discourses. If we’re going to be adding bunches of template parallels from there, we could do the same thing with verses as they are found.

Yes, good point.

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I’m not so sure. I suppose you can see them as template parallels but those in my view refer more to entire suttas rather than individual verses. This is what Bhikkhu Bodhi writes:

Template parallels are suttas constructed in accordance with the same formal pattern but which differ in the content to which this pattern is applied. The template is the formal pattern or mould; the template sutta, a text created by applying this mould to a particular subject, the “raw material” to be moulded into a sutta. Template parallels cut across the division between saṃyuttas and show how the same formula can be used to make identical statements about different categories of phenomena, for example, about the elements, aggregates, and sense bases (dhaātu, khandha, aāyatana), or about path factors, enlightenment factors, and spiritual faculties (magganṅ ga, bojjhanṅ ga, indriya). The recurrence of template parallels throughout SN gives us an important insight into the structure of the Buddha’s teaching. It shows that the teaching is constituted by two intersecting components: a formal component expressed by the templates themselves, and a material component provided by the entities that are organized by the templates. The application of the templates to the material components instructs us how the latter are to be treated. Thus we are made to see, from the template suttas, that the constituent factors of existence are to be understood with wisdom; that the defilements are to be abandoned; and that the path factors are to be developed.

His concordance in the back notes:

The notion of “template parallels” is explained in the General Introduction (pp. 36-39). This
concordance includes only suttas in different saṃyuttas that fully, or substantially, exemplify a given template. It does not include suttas within the same saṃyutta that exhibit variations on a pattern peculiar to that saṃyutta, or the repetition series at the end of saṃyuttas 45-51 and 54.

Obviously if we would list them in the same Samyutta as well, this would constitute a book in itself and not actually give much extra value because every Samyutta is already a collection of very similar suttas, often based on the same template.
And looking further, if we want to put in these template parallels, that would need a new way of listing these suttas on SuttaCentral and not merely a different symbol. Maybe a different table at the end of the parallel-table.

With regards to verses, if you for instance have a series like this within the same file (this one from uv31):

yathā hy agāraṁ ducchannaṁ vṛṣṭiḥ samatibhindati ।
evaṁ hy abhāvitaṁ cittaṁ rāgaḥ samatibhindati ।।

yathā hy agāraṁ ducchannaṁ vṛṣṭiḥ samatibhindati ।
evaṁ hy abhāvitaṁ cittaṁ dveṣaḥ samatibhindati ।।

yathā hy agāraṁ ducchannaṁ vṛṣṭiḥ samatibhindati ।
evaṁ hy abhāvitaṁ cittaṁ mohaḥ samatibhindati ।।

yathā hy agāraṁ ducchannaṁ vṛṣṭiḥ samatibhindati ।
evaṁ hy abhāvitaṁ cittaṁ mānaḥ samatibhindati ।।

yathā hy agāraṁ ducchannaṁ vṛṣṭiḥ samatibhindati ।
evaṁ hy abhāvitaṁ cittaṁ lobhaḥ samatibhindati ।।

yathā hy agāraṁ ducchannaṁ vṛṣṭiḥ samatibhindati ।
evaṁ hy abhāvitaṁ cittaṁ tṛṣṇā samatibhindati ।।

Does it make sense to list all of them as template parallels to each other? Does it give any extra added value?

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Yes, I agree with all you say here, let’s set this aside.

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All done with the Udānavarga de Subasi, including parallels. Note that this has not yet been proofread so if anybody feels called to help with this, please let me know!

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Thanks so much Ayya. :pray: