Sahaya (Buddhist Companion) Terms & Conditions

1) Acceptance of these Terms

By accessing or using Sahaya, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the App.

2) What Sahaya is

Sahaya is a living library of early Buddhist teachings intended for lay readers. It includes sutta translations, modern paraphrases, practice-oriented guidance, links to external resources, and an AI Companion feature.

3) The four layers of each sutta

Sahaya presents each sutta in distinct layers:

• Sutta — a faithful English translation of the sutta text.
• Modern — a plain-English paraphrase to make meaning easier to grasp (not part of the sutta text).
• Guidance — practice-oriented help for applying the teaching (not part of the sutta text).
• Pāli+ — the original Pāli and links to respected translations so you can compare sources.

4) AI-generated content and limitations

Sahaya uses AI to generate some or all of the following: translations, paraphrases, guidance, orientation text, and chat responses.

While care is taken, AI output can be inaccurate, incomplete, misleading, or inappropriate. You agree to use Sahaya as a learning and practice support tool, not as an authority. You are responsible for how you interpret and apply anything you read here.

5) Wellbeing guidance vs professional care

Sahaya may offer general wellbeing-oriented guidance and practice suggestions, including where relevant to mental or physical wellbeing (for example, mindfulness, compassion practices, and reflection prompts).

However:

• Sahaya is not a substitute for professional medical, mental health, legal, or other professional care.
• Sahaya cannot diagnose conditions, prescribe treatment, or provide clinically-tailored advice.
• Sahaya must not be relied on for decisions about starting, stopping, or changing medication or treatment.

If you are considering medication or treatment changes, please consult a qualified health professional.

6) Urgent help and safety

If you feel at risk of harming yourself or others, or you are in immediate danger, seek urgent help now (emergency services in your country, or a local crisis line). Do not rely on Sahaya for urgent or safety-critical situations.

Meditation and spiritual practice can sometimes surface difficult experiences. If you feel overwhelmed, distressed, dissociated, or unsafe:

• reduce or pause practice,
• ground yourself in ordinary activities,
• and seek support from a qualified teacher and/or health professional.

7) External links and third-party content

Sahaya links to third-party sites and translations. We do not control these sites and are not responsible for their content, accuracy, availability, or policies. Third-party translations and resources remain the property of their respective rights holders and may have different usage restrictions.

8) Intellectual property and license for Sahaya content

Unless otherwise stated, Sahaya's original content (including AI-generated translations, paraphrases, guidance, orientation text, and site copy) is provided under the following license:

License: Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

You may copy, share, and adapt Sahaya's original content for non-commercial purposes, provided that you:

• give appropriate credit to "Sahaya (Buddhist Companion)", and
• indicate if changes were made.

Not covered by this license:

• Third-party translations, external articles, and other linked resources (these remain under their own copyright and terms).
• Any trademarks or branding (including logos) except as needed for attribution.

If you want to use Sahaya's original content commercially, you must obtain written permission.

9) User conduct

You agree not to:

• misuse the App, attempt to disrupt it, or access it in an unauthorized manner,
• upload or submit unlawful, harmful, or abusive content through any feedback forms or features,
• use the App in a way that violates applicable laws.

10) Disclaimer of warranties

Sahaya is provided "as is" and "as available." We do not warrant that:

• content is accurate, complete, or suitable for your purposes,
• the App will be uninterrupted, timely, or error-free,
• any errors will be corrected immediately.

11) Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Sahaya and its operators are not liable for any loss, harm, or damages arising from your use of (or inability to use) the App, including any reliance on AI-generated content, practice suggestions, or linked resources.

12) Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Continued use of Sahaya after changes means you accept the updated Terms.

13) Contact and reporting issues

If you believe any content is inaccurate, misleading, or potentially harmful, please report it using "Report an issue" or contact us at: [email protected]